Wirraway
2nd Dec 2004, 13:38
Fri "The Australian"
Australian plans to fly Perth-Bali
Karen Brown, West Australian editor
December 03, 2004
AUSTRALIAN Airlines is looking to take advantage of an upsurge in tourism to Bali to support direct flights from Perth to the holiday island two years after the terror attacks that devastated the tourist trade.
Counting on a continuing love affair between West Australians and Bali, chief executive Andrea Staines said the Qantas subsidiary was confident the market could sustain twice-weekly flights.
"The market has definitely returned to travelling internationally in general and definitely to Bali," Ms Staines said.
"Australians have got over the jitters ... we have a resilient culture and people are determined to live their lives the way they want."
Using its all-economy class Boeing 767-300s, Australian Airlines will offer a total of 542 seats each week from Perth to Bali - almost doubling the number of seats offered by the Qantas group on the route.
"It's competitive but Bali is a strong market and we're looking forward to participating," Ms Staines said.
"We're not looking to start a price war. We're entering the market with the current market pricing, which today is very competitive and offers great package prices for whatever budget."
The Bali route is the first service to be offered from Perth and will see Australian expand its operations between Australia and Bali to seven flights each week.
The new route would also ensure the airline had a national presence with travel agencies.
Ms Staines said the Thursday and Saturday flights were conveniently timed with afternoon departures from, and arrivals into, Perth.
"You will land in Bali able to access your hotel room and when you come home will have a half-day at your hotel before you head to the airport," she said.
Qantas will continue flying one flight a week from Perth until February 1 to cope with summer demand.
The new Perth-based service brings Australian Airlines' total operations to more than 100 flights per week to 14 destinations in six countries.
Ms Staines said that although Australian was all-economy, it offered full service to passengers.
"We are not no-frills. We offer all the frills passengers expect from a full-service airline, including complimentary meals and snacks, Australian wines, spirits and beer as well as in-flight duty-free shopping.
"Being a leisure airline, we want you to feel like you are on holidays from the moment you step on board, so we offer the latest in-flight movies, an in-flight magazine and audio programs."
The decision to enter the Perth market against Garuda Indonesia and Air Paradise was well researched by Qantas.
"We're now flying Sydney-Bali and Melbourne-Bali - we started that 18 months ago and we've seen a resurgence of Australians travelling to Bali. I'm sure that in Perth we'll see the same," Ms Staines said.
"The Qantas group is working on this in a co-ordinated manner."
==========================================
Australian plans to fly Perth-Bali
Karen Brown, West Australian editor
December 03, 2004
AUSTRALIAN Airlines is looking to take advantage of an upsurge in tourism to Bali to support direct flights from Perth to the holiday island two years after the terror attacks that devastated the tourist trade.
Counting on a continuing love affair between West Australians and Bali, chief executive Andrea Staines said the Qantas subsidiary was confident the market could sustain twice-weekly flights.
"The market has definitely returned to travelling internationally in general and definitely to Bali," Ms Staines said.
"Australians have got over the jitters ... we have a resilient culture and people are determined to live their lives the way they want."
Using its all-economy class Boeing 767-300s, Australian Airlines will offer a total of 542 seats each week from Perth to Bali - almost doubling the number of seats offered by the Qantas group on the route.
"It's competitive but Bali is a strong market and we're looking forward to participating," Ms Staines said.
"We're not looking to start a price war. We're entering the market with the current market pricing, which today is very competitive and offers great package prices for whatever budget."
The Bali route is the first service to be offered from Perth and will see Australian expand its operations between Australia and Bali to seven flights each week.
The new route would also ensure the airline had a national presence with travel agencies.
Ms Staines said the Thursday and Saturday flights were conveniently timed with afternoon departures from, and arrivals into, Perth.
"You will land in Bali able to access your hotel room and when you come home will have a half-day at your hotel before you head to the airport," she said.
Qantas will continue flying one flight a week from Perth until February 1 to cope with summer demand.
The new Perth-based service brings Australian Airlines' total operations to more than 100 flights per week to 14 destinations in six countries.
Ms Staines said that although Australian was all-economy, it offered full service to passengers.
"We are not no-frills. We offer all the frills passengers expect from a full-service airline, including complimentary meals and snacks, Australian wines, spirits and beer as well as in-flight duty-free shopping.
"Being a leisure airline, we want you to feel like you are on holidays from the moment you step on board, so we offer the latest in-flight movies, an in-flight magazine and audio programs."
The decision to enter the Perth market against Garuda Indonesia and Air Paradise was well researched by Qantas.
"We're now flying Sydney-Bali and Melbourne-Bali - we started that 18 months ago and we've seen a resurgence of Australians travelling to Bali. I'm sure that in Perth we'll see the same," Ms Staines said.
"The Qantas group is working on this in a co-ordinated manner."
==========================================