It was encouraging to read Garuda's announcement of a planned refurb/upgrade to its existing fleet. The airline has acknowledged that the tired condition of its aircarft is making it all the more difficult to be competitive in international markets. Agreed.
It's also encouraging to see a Australian vistors to Bali up by 35% over January '05 results - we've still got a long way to go but perhaps this marks a turning of the corner. It's a good thing really because hopefully the airlines will respond aggresively to the opportunity by improving the number of flight options.
Unfortunately, though, it may have come all too late for Adelaide. If the rumours are correct then there appears to be little chance that Garuda will reinstate direct flights to Bali ex Adelaide in the forseeable future. In fact, the strong talk is that the Garuda office in Adelaide will close from Thursday. Can anyone confirm or refute this? If this in fact the case, it is really sad and I feel like we have lost an old friend.
Of course it's not the end of the world and there are other ways than Garuda to get to Bali. But it has to be said that nothing beats a direct link to Bali and what better way to do it than with Garuda? Of course we can still fly Garuda, but it now requires domestic connections and overnight accommodation. It's not hugely expensive for a single person, but for families and so on it can add quite a lot to the cost.
For a little bit more than the direct costs - and somewhat less than the compound costs of domestic connections and overnight accommodation, Bali via Singapore is a real option. It seems that Malaysia Airlines also offers a pretty cost-effective option to bali, via KL.
These options won't be everyone's cup of tea and I suspect that the overwhelming majority of Bali's Oz market will be driven by those seeking the fatest, cheapest means of getting there. But for those who would like to add a bit more their Bali experience without adding massive costs, then Singapore and Malaysia Airlines just might be the perfect option. I, for one, am looking forward to trying it.
As for Garuda...I hope the rumoured Adelaide closure is just that - a rumour. I enjoyed flying Gaurda and I look forward to a time when Adelaide is back on it's schedule. Cheers - kevin