Virgin and Jetstar cancel Bali flights due to Volcanic eruptions

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Pushka said:
Selecting just one airline rather suggests you dont have an answer about the others flying ;)
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(1) No it suggests that is the one airline which I am very well aware does not fly to DPS. Codeshares are irrelevant when we're discussing operational decisions as codeshare partners don't make them.
(2) I don't work for an airline. I don't make their decisions for them. I am not privy to their reasons. However I know how businesses work, I know they make decisions for commercial reasons and I know any speculation about "political correctness" is so fanciful it belongs with conspiracy theories about the moon landing, 9/11 false flags and Obama's birth certificate.
 
Pushka said:
And the rest that aren't codeshares?
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(A) I refer to point (2) in my previous reply.
(B) I have already noted that I am not an airline employee and lack inside information. However since you are inviting me to speculate - even insisting on it ...

Flights between Bali and Australia fly southwards.
That is a major point of difference. Most flights head north, north-east, north-west or, in a few cases west.
Some reports have stated that the ash clouds have been blown south.

I was discussing this with an acquaintance whose daughter was stuck in Bali.
I asked if she had looked at other flight options. She replied that she had looked at all the options - and then listed flights to every Australian capital.
I suggested she look at flying via KUL or SIN. Anything to head out of Bali in a different direction.

This may not be the reason. I have acknowledged that it is nothing more than (reluctant) speculation.
However I am absolutely certain that, whatever the reasons - however risk-averse, however misguided - they are commercial reasons.
The spectre of political correctness is not to blame.
 
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JQ43 tomorrow (Thursday 12 November 2015) is showing as 'cancelled' from MEL to DPS but at this stage (and it may merely be an oversight on a website such as Melbourne Airport - Flight Information, Shopping & Parking) VA49 is showing as operating.

One surprising feature of these cancellations is that if there are many passengers waiting in DPS to return back to Oz, the media by and large do not seem to be engaging Indonesian (or Caucasian based on Bali) reporters to interview those stranded.

Interviewing passengers who are in Oz and hoping to go to DPS is harder as by and large the airlines have told such travellers to stay home and await smartphone, Facebook and so on updates.
 
Melburnian1 said:
More not so good news:

Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian

It is probably logistically too difficult to do this as a return crew would not be in position (assuming that the same crew could not work there and back) and catering might be unavailable, but surely if possible it would have been preferable to land the JQ aircraft at an open airfield in central or even eastern Indonesia (on Java) with passengers then able to make their way to Bali by surface transport (train or bus then ferry, then bus.) Of course this would not succeed in bringing passengers back to Australia who have holidayed on Bali and the latter may be the main aim of the exercise.
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It would be quicker to paddle in a row boat from Darwin to Bali, than it would be to travel from some where in Java by land.
 
esseeeayeenn said:
Flights between Bali and Australia fly southwards.
That is a major point of difference. Most flights head north, north-east, north-west or, in a few cases west.
Some reports have stated that the ash clouds have been blown south.
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Volcanic ash forecasts are publicly available. Bali is covered by the Darwin VAAC.
Volcanic Ash Graphics 8
 
Mogul said:
Why is it disgusting to send empty aircraft to Bali.
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Because the airport is open, it is safe to fly and the flights they are sending empty are their normal scheduled flights. They are refusing to send pax from Au to Bali when it is safe to do so. And to top it all they are refusing refunds. Credits only.

And if I go to their website, I can still buy a seat on the flights they have confirmed as cancelled today...Way to go VA...
 
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Heg said:
Because the airport is open, it is safe to fly and the flights they are sending empty are their normal scheduled flights. They are refusing to send pax from Au to Bali when it is safe to do so. And to top it all they are refusing refunds. Credits only.

And if I go to their website, I can still buy a seat on the flights they have confirmed as cancelled today...Way to go VA...
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The airport may be open but that doesn't mean it is safe to fly the actual route needed to get there and back.

Yeah lets fill a plane up with pax going to Bali and the flight is turned around and diverted to Darwin because of the ash (aka JQ), then what. You now have 180 pax stranded in Darwin with accommodation and meals likely to be needed at the airlines expense, creating only more angst among travellers. Do you then keep them in Darwin hoping the ash cloud clears or do you fly them back to Sydney and then what.

There are no winners in the current situation.
 
Mogul said:
The airport may be open but that doesn't mean it is safe to fly the actual route needed to get there and back.

Yeah lets fill a plane up with pax going to Bali and the flight is turned around and diverted to Darwin because of the ash (aka JQ), then what. You now have 180 pax stranded in Darwin with accommodation and meals likely to be needed at the airlines expense, creating only more angst among travellers. Do you then keep them in Darwin hoping the ash cloud clears or do you fly them back to Sydney and then what.

There are no winners in the current situation.
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Garuda have flown from AU to DPS every day that DPS has been open. I can't imagine that their flight path is so very different to VA.
 
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Looks like one of the GA planes that was sitting at DPS while waiting for the airport to open.

You would not get that pattern of dust on the roof flying through the crud.

Weirdly, no ash dust to mention here in Bali beyond the usual dust when you have 4 months with little rain in the dry season.

I personally am in a dilemma.

Made it to Bali from SIN holiday a day late (6/11) due to a change to TR and a JQ refund.

Due to fly to for a few days PER with JQ ON 20/11 - looking really doubtful now if this cautious approach continues.

Then want to head back over to DPS around the 25th for a week as finalising my villa lease.

Fly JQ for QC & QFF SCs - price has been similar to other airlines so boosting my QFF and boozing in the PER lounge suits me.

If I have to stay in Bali extra days until JQ fly me out that is fine.

Have to get back here on 25th though, so within the next few days, I will have to bite the bullet and book Air Asia, TR or GA if the JQ don't relent and ease off the restrictions.

Chris
 
Heg said:
Garuda have flown from AU to DPS every day that DPS has been open. I can't imagine that their flight path is so very different to VA.
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Correct. But their safety standards are lower. Simple.
 
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