In bad news for South Australians looking to travel to Bali, Virgin Australia has decided to suspend its non-stop Adelaide-Denpasar flights.
The airline had already canceled the route seasonally from 6 February to 17 March and 28 April to 9 June, but has now confirmed the suspension will continue beyond 10 June.
According to a Virgin Australia spokesperson, the decision is due to “various factors including the delayed delivery of new aircraft.”
“Guests booked to travel between Adelaide and Bali from June onwards will be directly contacted by Virgin Australia or their travel agent to provide alternative arrangements, including connecting flights to and from Bali on the booked day of travel via Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne,” they he said.
“Where an alternative is not suitable, guests will be offered a full refund.”
Travelers can also reach out to the Virgin Australia Guest Contact Center on 13 67 89.
South Australian Bali-bound Virgin customers can now expect travel times of up to 14 hours via the East Coast, The Advertiser reports, as the airline looks to manage delivery impacts on its international and domestic schedule.
“We acknowledge this decision will be disappointing for some guests and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience,” the spokesperson said.
Jetstar continues to offer direct flights between Adelaide and Denpasar.
In February, Batik Air Malaysia suspended flights to Adelaide just seven months after commencing operations to SA.
Adelaide Airport was recently voted Best Regional Airport in Australia-Pacific for the second time in three years and also finished among the world’s top 10 best airports for 5 to 10 million passengers.
Last year, Australia’s fifth busiest hub said it has “genuinely realistic” plans to host non-stop flights between Adelaide and 37 major cities around the world.
In November, Adelaide Airport released details of a five-year, $1 billion plan to expand South Australia’s main gateway.
