Just four months after launching, Batik Air has suspended its Canberra-Bali service. While the suspension is “temporary”, the carrier has not said when the route could resume.
“Batik Air expresses its regret over the temporary suspension of its Denpasar-Canberra route, and acknowledges the concerns raised by affected passengers and the public,” the carrier said in a statement.
“This decision comes after a thorough review of operational and commercial factors, prioritising the long-term sustainability of the airline’s network while maintaining the highest standards of service excellence.”
Impacted passengers will be offered alternative flights or full refunds as the carrier “actively reassesses” the Canberra-Denpasar route.
“While this decision is not taken lightly, it reflects a commitment to ensuring the reliability and quality of service that passengers expect,” the statement said.
“Batik Air sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused and greatly appreciates the understanding and patience of its customers.
“The airline looks forward to resuming services on the Denpasar-Canberra route at the earliest opportunity.”
The news comes as the new ATIA Travel Trends Report shows Indonesia is still our top holiday hotspot in 2024, with 1.59 million Aussies heading over there – up 34 per cent year-on-year.
Batik Air began flying to Canberra in early June. But the Malaysian airline was struggling from the start, reducing the direct route to twice-weekly flights – down from three services per week – after only two months of operations.
Batik’s ACT-Bali flights were one of just two international services to operate out of Canberra, following the launch of Fiji Airways’ Canberra-Nadi flights in 2023. Read our review of the first CBR-NAN flight here.
According to the Canberra Times, ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the issue was low passenger demand on the route.
“It depends on seasonality, the number of flights per week, the type of aircraft, it was [Batik Air’s] decision to come into Canberra really seeking to attract tourists to Bali. There’s not a lot of demand coming out of Bali into Canberra,” he said.
“That’s why we’ve been particularly focused on the routes that give connectivity through ports like Singapore, through Fiji into North America, through the Middle East into Europe, I think they’re the mainstays.”
But the nation’s capital wasn’t the only challenge for the airline. Earlier this year, the full-service carrier also suspended flights to Adelaide just seven months after commencing operations to the South Australian hub.
In better news for Batik, in September, it announced it would increase the number of seats it offers between Melbourne, Bali and Kuala Lumpur, as well as Brisbane, Bali and Kuala Lumpur during the Australian 2024/2025 summer season.
