Qantas cuts Indon services

[Wirraway]

AAP

Qantas cuts Indon services
October 22, 2002

QANTAS Airways Ltd has scrapped several of its Indonesian flights as the fallout from the horrific Bali bombings continues.

The move comes as scores of would-be Bali holidaymakers are switching their vacations to Fiji and Queensland.

Qantas said it would redirect the Indonesian capacity to more popular holiday destinations, such as Cairns, the Gold Coast, Hamilton Island, and Fiji.

Following the Bali terrorist attack just over a week ago, Qantas increased flights to and from the Indonesian island to help desperate Australians return home quickly.

"With the needs of those travellers met, and demand for travel between Australia and Bali slowing over the coming months, we have reassessed our schedule to ensure we are offering enough capacity to other international and domestic holiday destinations for the busy Christmas holiday season," Qantas executive general manager sales and marketing John Borghetti said.

Under the interim schedule, effective from November, Qantas would continue to operate four Sydney-Jakarta and two Perth-Jakarta flights per week.

It would cut its Boeing 767 Sydney-Denpasar, Bali services, from four to two return services a week.

The airline also said it would cancel the weekly Melbourne-Denpasar service and maintain operations between the Northern Territory and Denpasar.

Qantas said it would also operate one weekly return Boeing 737 Perth-Denpasar service flight each week from December, increasing to two services a week in January.

Mr Borghetti said Qantas would continue to assess demand and make changes as necessary.

"We have the flexibility to introduce additional capacity quickly if circumstances require it, as we have done over the past week."

While analysts said the move made sense, it failed to spark Qantas shares today.

The stock has been repeatedly pounded by nervous investors, jittery following the Bali attacks and also skittish about the likely effect of any US war with Iraq on oil prices and international passenger numbers.

Shares in Qantas closed five cents lower at $3.76 on turnover of 4.4 million.

"It makes sense," one analyst said of Qantas' interim changes.

"If no one is flying to Bali, if people just aren't going there, what is the point of flying seats there," he said.

Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon last week told shareholders the Bali bombings were not expected to have a major impact on the airline.

The changes came as Singapore Airlines (SIA) today said it was trimming Denpasar and Singapore services back to four a day.

Singapore Airlines had added a fifth daily flight last week to cater for demand for outbound travel from Bali.

"SIA will continue to monitor demand for travel to and from Bali and make further reviews to schedules if necessary," the airline said.

AAP
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AAP

First Bali, now Thailand
October 22, 2002

FIRST it was Bali, now Australians are being warned off another idyllic South-East Asian destination.

Australians travelling to Thailand have been urged to exercise extreme caution in public areas in upgraded travel advice from the Foreign Affairs Department.

DFAT has also upgraded its risk assessment of the Philippines, identifying Manila as a danger area for the first time.

Meanwhile, British rock group Oasis has cancelled its one-night concert in the Philippines tomorrow night, citing security concerns.

"Due to recent terrorist acts in both Bali and the Philippines, Oasis has regretfully decided not to play its show in Manila on Wednesday, October 23," the local concert promoter said.

DFAT's advice to travellers in Thailand said:
"Australians ... should exercise extreme caution, particularly in commercial and public areas known to be frequented by foreigners such as clubs, restaurants, bars, schools, places of worship, outdoor recreation events or tourist areas,".

It also warned travellers to be wary of unsolicited approaches by people recommending or offering to supply goods or services.

The upgraded advice for Manila and the Philippines was understood to stem from the latest bombings there, along with fresh Australian intelligence.

A Marine soldier was killed and 17 others were injured yesterday when a bomb exploded outside a Roman Catholic shrine in the city of Zamboanga.

Three days earlier, two bombs tore through shopping malls in Zamboanga's commercial district, killing seven people.

Jemaah Islamiah, the group many suspect as having orchestrated the Bali attacks, is believed to have sympathisers in the Philippines.

"Manila has experienced a series of bombing campaigns in recent years. A number of explosive devices were discovered in Manila earlier in 2002," the advice said.

"Further explosions are possible across the country, including in Manila."

DFAT's Thailand warning
Philippines warning

AAP