Airtart
14th Oct 2002, 21:26
October 15, 2002
Air & Land Transport News
BALI AFTERMATH
Air Paradise, Bali's new airline, postpones takeoff
It puts off Oct 27 launch date, refunds more than 10,000 tickets
(BALI) Air Paradise International, which dubbed itself Bali's first international airline, postponed this month's scheduled start of operations following Saturday's killer blasts in the resort island.
The blasts forced the airline to delay its start date and refund more than 10,000 tickets it had already sold, the company said. The Bali-based carrier's first flight was set for Oct 27.
The bombings killed at least 184 people in a Bali nightclub strip, driving away tourists and others from this holiday island, especially popular among Australians.
The airline is not 'in a position to announce a new startup date given the ongoing and tragic events that continue to unfold in Bali after Saturday night's shocking bombings', the company said.
Air Paradise started selling tickets just three weeks ago for flights between Bali and the Australian cities of Perth and Melbourne.
Bali accounted for 40 per cent of arrivals in the country's US$5.4 billion tourism industry last year.
'Forget about Bali for the next year or so,' said Dennis Tighe at Dresdner RCM Global Investors in Sydney. 'That route is just dead.'
The airline had planned to offer four flights a week from Perth to Bali from as low as A$699 (S$685) for an adult return fare including four nights' accommodation and taxes, according to an advertisement on its website. It would also offer three direct flights a week from Melbourne to Bali starting at A$989 for an adult return fare including four nights' accommodation and taxes.
The airline's owner, Kadek Wiranatha, remains committed to the project of operating Bali's first international airline, said national business manager Gary Hilt in a statement.
'We had sold more than 10,000 seats in our initial three weeks of sales,' Mr Hilt said in an e-mailed reply to questions by Bloomberg News. 'We have postponed the operation and will assess the situation over the coming days. We fully intend to continue our operation at a later date to be advised.'
The airline had planned to use Airbus SAS 310-300 aircraft previously used by Singapore Airlines Ltd. The delivery of one of its planes, scheduled for this week, will be postponed, Mr Hilt said. - Bloomberg
The Business Times-Singapore
Air & Land Transport News
BALI AFTERMATH
Air Paradise, Bali's new airline, postpones takeoff
It puts off Oct 27 launch date, refunds more than 10,000 tickets
(BALI) Air Paradise International, which dubbed itself Bali's first international airline, postponed this month's scheduled start of operations following Saturday's killer blasts in the resort island.
The blasts forced the airline to delay its start date and refund more than 10,000 tickets it had already sold, the company said. The Bali-based carrier's first flight was set for Oct 27.
The bombings killed at least 184 people in a Bali nightclub strip, driving away tourists and others from this holiday island, especially popular among Australians.
The airline is not 'in a position to announce a new startup date given the ongoing and tragic events that continue to unfold in Bali after Saturday night's shocking bombings', the company said.
Air Paradise started selling tickets just three weeks ago for flights between Bali and the Australian cities of Perth and Melbourne.
Bali accounted for 40 per cent of arrivals in the country's US$5.4 billion tourism industry last year.
'Forget about Bali for the next year or so,' said Dennis Tighe at Dresdner RCM Global Investors in Sydney. 'That route is just dead.'
The airline had planned to offer four flights a week from Perth to Bali from as low as A$699 (S$685) for an adult return fare including four nights' accommodation and taxes, according to an advertisement on its website. It would also offer three direct flights a week from Melbourne to Bali starting at A$989 for an adult return fare including four nights' accommodation and taxes.
The airline's owner, Kadek Wiranatha, remains committed to the project of operating Bali's first international airline, said national business manager Gary Hilt in a statement.
'We had sold more than 10,000 seats in our initial three weeks of sales,' Mr Hilt said in an e-mailed reply to questions by Bloomberg News. 'We have postponed the operation and will assess the situation over the coming days. We fully intend to continue our operation at a later date to be advised.'
The airline had planned to use Airbus SAS 310-300 aircraft previously used by Singapore Airlines Ltd. The delivery of one of its planes, scheduled for this week, will be postponed, Mr Hilt said. - Bloomberg
The Business Times-Singapore