On a previous Bali weekender, flying jetstar, we noticed that air Asia were the only airline operating in the wake of some volcanic activity. All other carriers had canx citing safety concerns. A pilot friend of a friend suggested the real reason, which sounded reasonable to me, was that it was prohibitively expensive for non indo carriers to potentially have equipment on ground in Bali in the event the conditions did worsen to the point of actual safety risk.
So this last time we flew QZ, in the hope that same logic might hold. Not so much. Air Asia seized the opportunity to cancel flights wholesale, none to per in a week, followed by 1/3 after that. We ended up delayed 9 nights.
Other carriers operated. Notably malindo just quietly got on with it. Jetstar got on the news to gain the free publicity about running rescue flights, then quietly cancelled the majority once the piece had aired.
Despite lengthy hold times on international calls, no one would sell us a seat leaving dps for a week, yet flights hit the tarmac in per less that 50% loaded. The flight we eventually got on, 5/12, was less than 20% load. Photos on social media of all carriers aircraft well below capacity.
We'd witnessed countless desperate stranded tourists trying to score a seat, a couple next to us trying to get to their daughter's gradation were rejected, no seats available. And oh, no way could they take ours apparently..
I don't get the whole deal. I suspect air Asia cancelled their flights as they were unlikely to have many outbound pax, and to hell with the return load. But running empty planes back with literally an airport full of passengers, many willing to pay whatever to get home? I can only assume some kind of carriers insurance made it unattractive to sell the seats. I'll take some convincing the decision wasn't commercial anyway.
Anyone have any real insights into what factors were really at play?
Cheers,
Alex
So this last time we flew QZ, in the hope that same logic might hold. Not so much. Air Asia seized the opportunity to cancel flights wholesale, none to per in a week, followed by 1/3 after that. We ended up delayed 9 nights.
Other carriers operated. Notably malindo just quietly got on with it. Jetstar got on the news to gain the free publicity about running rescue flights, then quietly cancelled the majority once the piece had aired.
Despite lengthy hold times on international calls, no one would sell us a seat leaving dps for a week, yet flights hit the tarmac in per less that 50% loaded. The flight we eventually got on, 5/12, was less than 20% load. Photos on social media of all carriers aircraft well below capacity.
We'd witnessed countless desperate stranded tourists trying to score a seat, a couple next to us trying to get to their daughter's gradation were rejected, no seats available. And oh, no way could they take ours apparently..
I don't get the whole deal. I suspect air Asia cancelled their flights as they were unlikely to have many outbound pax, and to hell with the return load. But running empty planes back with literally an airport full of passengers, many willing to pay whatever to get home? I can only assume some kind of carriers insurance made it unattractive to sell the seats. I'll take some convincing the decision wasn't commercial anyway.
Anyone have any real insights into what factors were really at play?
Cheers,
Alex