Flights On Major Australia-Bali Route Cancelled Indefinitely 

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A major airline has announced that it will cancel a newly opened Australia-Bali flight route just months after it first launched.

Low-cost airline Batik Air has confirmed that the Canberra-Bali service will be suspended, with no date for its relaunch in sight. 

When the flight service was initially announced earlier this year, the prospect of increased connections between Canberra and Bali was met with great excitement.

The flight service was to offer increased travel opportunities and improve business relations between Canberra and Indonesia. There was hope that the service would receive sustained demand from travelers. 

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In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Batik Air first scheduled the service to operate three times weekly, reducing the service to twice weekly just two months after the inaugural flight.

Fast track to October 2024 and the service is now to be scrapped altogether. The Malaysia-based airline have confirmed that the service is paused and has not given details about if and when the flight will resume. 

In statements issued by Batik Air, representatives state that the decisions have not been made ‘lightly’ and that the choice has been made following a thorough assessment of all commercial and operational factors and long-term sustainability. 

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The statement explains, “The suspension was deemed necessary to ensure that Batik Air can continue to operate efficiently across its entire route network.”

The statement continues, “It reflects a commitment to ensuring the reliability and quality of service that passengers expect.”

The airline notes, “Batik Air recognizes the impact this suspension will have on its passengers and is actively reassessing the Denpasar-Canberra route.”

The airline has stated that they will provide either a full refund or assist with alternative travel arrangements for affected passengers. 

The airline concluded “Batik Air sincerely apologised for any inconvenience caused, the airline looks forward to resuming services on the Denpasar-Canberra route at the earliest opportunity.”

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The Head of Airport Aviation at Canberra Airport, Michael Thomson, shared his disappointment at the decision to scrap the connection with Bali.

He told reporters “While new routes often require time to build momentum, we also understand that the airline has faced operations challenges. We remain committed to working closely with our airline partners to enhance connectivity and provide out community with the best travel options.”

While Batik Air has long been an airline of choice for travellers seeking low cost fares across Asia, the Middle East and Australia, the airline has hit headlines for all the wrong reasons this year.

The first Batik Air Canberra-Bali flight in June 2024 hit headlines after the airline was investigated by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, after it was found to have been flying below safe altitude levels. No passengers were injured. 

In January the airline was also ‘strongly reprimanded’ by the Indonesian Transport Ministry after a Batik Air pilot and co-pilot fell asleep for 28-minutes on a flight from Sulawesi to Jakarta. After 28-minutes the pilots did eventually respond to air traffic control in Jakarta dot eh aircraft landed safely in the capital. 

It is not only the Canberra-Bali route from Batik Air that has seen a reduction in scheduling too. In February 2024 the airline announced that it would reduce flights between Adelaide and Bali from four times weekly to two times weekly, and scrap the Adelaide-Kuala Lumpur route entirely. 

In terms of the impact this flight cancellation will have on tourism figures in Bali, it’s unlikely to make too much of a difference as visitor numbers to the island continue to grow.

Though Batik Air has had to reduce flight frequency, other airlines are doubling their schedules in Denpasar to keep up with demand. Etihad Airways doubled flight service between Dubai and Denpasar to twice daily in August 2024.