No jump yet in sea travelers for Idul Fitri
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Only a few people can be seen waiting in line on Friday for tickets from the Jakarta sales office of Indonesian National Sailing Co. Ltd. (Pelni) in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, although it is only 16 days until the Idul Fitri holiday.
Within the three hours after the counters opened that morning, only 100 people had booked their tickets.
The head of ticket sales at Pelni Tanjung Priok, Andi Baharuddin, said the small number of passengers was a direct effect of airline companies' lowering their fares in the past year.
"It's very quiet," he said, shaking his head. Before, he said, people would have been queuing for tickets at the start of the fasting month.
In anticipation of a jump in passenger numbers, which typically occurs around Idul Fitri, Pelni has prepared 25 ships with a total capacity of 55,000 seats.
In order to attract more people, Pelni is maintaining promotional prices that have been applied since May for favorite destinations -- such as Belawan in North Sumatra, Makassar in South Sulawesi, Batam in Riau and Manado in North Sulawesi. A discount of 10 to 35 percent will be given for other destinations during the Idul Fitri peak season from Nov. 10 to Dec. 3.
Passengers can buy tickets starting 21 days prior to their departure. As of now, only first, second and third class tickets from Nov. 14 to Nov. 21 on the Tanjung Priok, Jakarta-Belawan route are sold out.
"The economy class seats are still available," Andi said.
Syarif, 56, came to Pelni because airplane tickets to Medan have sold out. "I'd rather go by plane because the price is not much different and it's much faster," he said.
The first-class promotional boat fare to Medan is Rp 565,000 (US$66.47), while a special-price airplane ticket can go for as low as Rp 409,000. Traveling by sea to Medan takes 48 hours, while it takes only two hours by plane.
Still, some people want a chance to stroll along the deck of a ship.
"You have the time to experience something," said Siswoyo, 38. His family has flown home already, but he likes sea travel better. "Sometimes, I'd meet friends who are also on their way home." Siswoyo paid Rp 281,000 for his three-night travel aboard the KM Sirimau to Makassar.
For Yanti, a 37-year-old mother who wants to get home to Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, going by sea means being able to bring more luggage and goodies.
"I'd rather go by plane, actually. It takes so long on a ship," she said, as she mulled the prices on the wall of the Pelni's sales office.