AirAsia has completed its inaugural flight from Bali to Melbourne, marking the start of daily connection between the two cities.
The highly anticipated service, operated by Indonesia AirAsia, which is part of AirAsia Group, is the latest network expansion for the low-cost carrier in Australia.
Commencing on Saturday 21 March and operating daily, the Airbus A320 service adds more than 130,000 seats annually through Melbourne Airport, providing Victorian travellers greater choice and value when planning their next Bali or Indonesian getaway.
“Bali continues to be the most popular international holiday destination for Australians, and we’re excited to give Victorians another great value option when planning their next escape,” AirAsia general manager of Indonesia Captain Achmad Sadikin Abdurachman said.
“This new service supports AirAsia’s goal to make travel more accessible for Australians who wish to experience Bali, while also discovering the many remarkable destinations across the wider Indonesian archipelago.
“It also strengthens social and economic ties between our two countries, supports tourism growth, and creates more opportunities for travellers to experience the rich culture, cuisine and natural beauty of both destinations.
“From Bali, passengers can easily connect to some of Indonesia’s fastest-growing destinations, including Labuan Bajo, the gateway to the iconic Komodo National Park; and Balikpapan, a vibrant culinary and cultural hub in Kalimantan, and to the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta.”
“Bali is the destination of choice for Victorians, but there’s more to Indonesia than just Bali and AirAsia’s extensive network will allow travellers to explore beyond Bali,” Melbourne Airport chief of aviation Jim Parashos said.
“Even though it’s such a popular market we are still seeing passenger numbers between Melbourne and Bali increase by more than 13 per cent year-on-year, which highlights the appetite for new services.
“The beauty of Bali lies in the fact it’s a six-hour flight from Melbourne that often costs less to get to than domestic destinations such as Perth, making it a really attractive offering for budget conscious travellers and families.
“We’re seeing the benefits of more competition in these international markets flowing through to travellers in the way of cheaper airfares and more choice, which is a great outcome for everyone.”
The Melbourne to Denpasar service marks AirAsia’s third Australian route to Bali, complementing the airline’s existing services from Perth and Adelaide. The airline recently increased frequency out of Adelaide in response to rising demand from Australian travellers.
For travellers looking to venture further, AirAsia offers seamless connectivity from Bali to more than 150 destinations across Asia, and from June, the UK*. Now is the perfect time to go somewhere different, explore the hidden gems of Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia, with seamless connections from Bali with AirAsia’s Fly-Thru service.
AirAsia is offering special promotional fares from Melbourne to Bali starting at $209 one way. Travellers can also grab a Fly-Thru deal with fares starting from $289 one way from Melbourne to Singapore (via Bali), Melbourne to Bangkok from $316 (via Bali) and Melbourne to Phuket from $391 (via Bali).
