As travel to Bali continues to boom, Batik Air has kicked off a new service between Canberra and Denpasar.
The new Bali flights mark the only nonstop service between the nation’s capital and the Indonesian island and just the second international service for Canberra Airport following the launch of direct Fiji Airways flights to Nadi in June 2023 (read our review of the first CBR-NAN flight).
On board its B737-800 aircraft, Batik Air will offer 162 seats, with 12 seats in business class and 150 seats in economy class.
Batik will operate the new Bali flights three times per week. Flights will depart Denpasar at 10.10pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and land in Canberra at 7am the following day. Bali-bound flights will then depart Canberra at 8am on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Warm welcome
Upon touching down in the ACT, passengers on board the inaugural flight were given local gifts along with a traditional Welcome to Country.
Representatives from Canberra Airport, the ACT Government and the Indonesian Government were also on hand to mark the occasion.
Canberra Airport Head of Aviation Michael Thomson expressed excitement at the arrival of another international carrier in the capital that would offer direct flights to Indonesia and connections to a larger network.
Upon the announcement of the new route in February, ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the new flights would “greatly benefit holiday seekers from Canberra and the region”.
“The route also presents a great opportunity to connect the Canberra region to South-East Asia for leisure, trade and education,” he added at the time.
Among the secondary destinations Batik hopes to lure Canberrans to beyond Bali are Lombok, Surabaya, Yogyakarta and Jakarta, which are all serviced by Lion Group carriers. Canberra is Batik Air’s fifth Australian destination and sixth international port it links to Bali.
Beyond Bali flights
At the launch of Fiji Airways’ service last year, Canberra Airport CEO Stephen Byron told Karryon the hub anticipated an influx of overseas flights to start within six months. That didn’t transpire.
But in May, the airport unveiled an ambitious ‘5-year Route Development Plan’ that outlines the gateway’s plans to expand its domestic and international reach to more than 22 destinations.
Potentially growing its existing airlines from eight to 13, Canberra Airport predicts the resumption of Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways services to the capital. It says it’s also in discussions with carriers like Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific and Vietjet.
“We believe that providing a greater choice of carriers and destinations not only makes prices more competitive but also opens up boundless opportunities for our community, connecting our city to the rest of the country and the world,” Thomson said.
“These opportunities are not just about enhancing connectivity; they’re about strengthening business connections, driving economic development, and creating jobs, as well as fostering tourism and attracting international students to our vibrant city.”
Read our review of Canberra Airport, where every international traveller gets “lounge” access.
