Air Paradise back on track

SPECIAL REPORT: BALI REBUILDING

BALI - Air Paradise International has set a provisional February 16 date for the launch of its services to Australia.

"It is still dependent on Australia lifting its travel advisory against Bali," Air Paradise owner Kadek Wiranatha told TravelWeekly.

The airline postponed its original start-up of services to Perth and Melbourne following the October 12 Bali bombings.

Wiranatha, who is also the owner of Paddy's Bar, one of the buildings destroyed on October 12, said he hoped Australians would respond to Bali's own carrier and re-book on Air Paradise.

The airline had sold 16,000 tickets before postponing its November launch. "By suppporting us, Australians will also be supporting Bali and the Balinese, many of whom have suffered badly because of the downturn in visitors to the island," said Wiranatha.

Air Paradise has leased two ex-Singapore Airlines A310-300s, the first of which has been painted in the airline's livery and is ready to leave the Airbus base in Toulouse, France.

Wiranatha said that he had been able to renegotiate the lease of the aircraft, reducing the financial burden of having aircraft idle on the ground for several months.

The airline will maintain its original schedules to Australia, flying four times a week to Perth and three times a week to Melbourne.

When a second aircraft comes into service, Air Paradise will target Fukuoka, Osaka, Seoul and Taipei for new services.

"There's no doubt that the North Asian market has a lot of potential and with many wholesalers now contacting me, I feel we could fill our aircraft year-round by flying there," said Wiranatha.

Air Paradise will also fly four times a week between Denpasar and Jakarta, building to a daily service with a second aircraft.