After a two-year hiatus, a Jetstar Boeing 787-8 took off for Bali on Monday morning with more than 300 passengers onboard. JQ43 pushed back from Gate 20 at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport mid-morning and signaled a long-awaited return to the popular Indonesian holiday island for the low-cost carrier. Jetstar’s flights from Sydney and Perth resume next month, with flights from other Australian cities to follow in May.
“We are very excited to return to Bali today after two long years, and we are confident that Bali will quickly regain its position as our most popular international tourist destination now that borders are open,” said Jetstar CEO Gareth Evans.
“Pre-COVID, Jetstar operated up to 85 return flights per week to Bali, carrying more than two million customers each year and contributing almost two billion Australian dollars annually to the local Balinese economy.”
Before COVID-19 grounded flights, Jetstar was the largest international carrier into Bali. Along with parent airline Qantas, Jetstar suspended its flights to Bali in late March 2020. After flights from Perth and Sydney resume in April, Jetstar plans to restart flights from Brisbane, Adelaide, Cairns, and Darwin in May. Qantas’ schedules indicate that the airline is sticking with its plans to kickstart the Sydney – Bali route later this month.
Jetstar is returning to Bali on Monday after a two year absence. Photo: Jetstar
Melbourne flights reboot while Sydney flights are pushed back
Jetstar is initially flying three times a week to Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport using Boeing 787-7 aircraft. Flights from Sydney were slated to start on Tuesday, March 15, also with a three times a week timetable. But a media statement released on the weekend says flights to Bali from Sydney will now recommence in April. A search of Jetstar’s online April schedules reveals the current start date for ex-Sydney flights is April 19.
Pushing back the Sydney departures is interesting given Jetstar’s claim a recent sale saw the biggest surge in bookings since 2016. Jetstar says their surveys have consistently shown that Bali is still the top international destination people want to travel to. Australia is Bali’s biggest inbound tourist market and one of 23 countries again eligible for visas on arrival and quarantine-free entry if the mandated on-arrival COVID test comes back clear.
“Today is an important milestone for us at Jetstar, and also for the local businesses in Bali who have been heavily impacted by the lack of tourism during the pandemic,” says Mr Evans.
“We extend our thanks to the Indonesian Government for their support and look forward to continuing to work together to help the Balinese tourism industry bounce back as quickly as possible.”
KLM’s welcome back to Bali last week. Photo:Â Ngurah Rai International Airport
Jetstar joins a growing list of airlines returning to Bali
Jetstar’s return to Bali follows Singapore Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, AirAsia, and Scoot resuming flights. Two more airlines were added to the list last week, Malaysia Airlines returned to Ngurah Rai International Airport on Friday. Earlier last week, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines resumed its Boeing 777-300ER tag flight between Singapore and Bali. Onboard the KLM flight to Bali were 76 passengers, with 15 passengers joining the flight out of Bali on Wednesday evening.
“We are optimistic that international flights can recover,” says Herry Ay Sikado, General Manager of Bali’s Airport. “One by one, international airlines have filled flight slots since the opening of the international corridor to the Island of the Gods is also hope for the tourism sector.”
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