AirAsia suspends Melbourne–Bali, Adelaide routes

Indonesia AirAsia said on May 15 it will suspend flights between Melbourne and Denpasar and between Adelaide and Denpasar next month, reversing part of an Australia expansion it had announced only weeks earlier. The airline said the last Melbourne-to-Bali and Adelaide-to-Bali services will operate on June 18, with the full suspension taking effect on June 19. The carrier attributed the move to higher global jet fuel prices and geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East. AirAsia said affected customers are being contacted directly and offered alternative travel arrangements, refunds or credit. ### When do the last flights operate? AirAsia’s customer notice said the final Denpasar-to-Melbourne and Denpasar-to-Adelaide flights will operate on June 17, while the final Melbourne-to-Denpasar and Adelaide-to-Denpasar flights will operate on June 18. The airline said the suspension becomes fully effective on June 19. The two routes are operated by Indonesia AirAsia, the group’s Indonesian short-haul unit. (newsroom.airasia.com) AirAsia’s May 15 newsroom statement described the move as an “adjustment” to its Australia-Bali network. ### What reason did AirAsia give for cutting the routes? Captain Achmad Sadikin Abdurachman, acting president director of Indonesia AirAsia, said the decision followed a review of “current operating conditions” and wider industry dynamics. (support.airasia.com) He said sustained increases in global jet fuel prices, driven by geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East, had put significant pressure on airline operations. (newsroom.airasia.com) AirAsia’s FAQ said the operating environment required the airline to refocus its network on routes that remain commercially and operationally viable. The company said it would reassess the Melbourne and Adelaide routes if market conditions change and demand supports a return. ### How abrupt is the retreat from Melbourne and Adelaide? Melbourne Airport and AirAsia had marked the launch of the Melbourne-Bali route on March 21, with the airline saying the daily Airbus A320 service would add more than 130,000 seats annually. (newsroom.airasia.com) At the time, AirAsia said Bali passenger traffic from Melbourne was still rising by more than 13% year over year, citing Melbourne Airport aviation chief Jim Parashos. (support.airasia.com) AirAsia had also said on March 3 that Adelaide-Bali flying would increase from four weekly flights to seven weekly from March 21, rising to 10 weekly during peak periods, creating more than 56,000 seats a year through Adelaide Airport. In the same March announcement, the group said it planned to lift total Australia frequencies to as many as 100 a week during peak holiday periods in 2026. (newsroom.airasia.com) ### What options do booked passengers have? AirAsia said Adelaide passengers with existing bookings can choose a full refund or a credit account valid for up to two years. The airline said Melbourne passengers will be re-accommodated on Fly-Thru itineraries via Kuala Lumpur, but can instead request a refund, credit account or a one-time free flight change within 30 days of the original date, subject to availability. (newsroom.airasia.com) The airline said customers are being informed through the contact details provided at booking, while passengers who booked through travel agents should contact those agents directly. AirAsia also said refund or credit requests can be tracked through the AirAsia MOVE app after a case number is issued. ### Is AirAsia cutting other Australia services too? (support.airasia.com) AirAsia said in its March 3 Australia network update that Darwin-Kuala Lumpur and Darwin-Bali flights would also be suspended from April 28. The airline said then that it still served Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Adelaide and carried close to 1 million guests between Australia and Asia annually. (support.airasia.com) AirAsia’s broader travel notice page lists multiple route suspensions across its network, including Bali-Darwin and Kuala Lumpur-Darwin effective April 28 and Manila-Tokyo Narita effective June 1. The company said affected guests across those suspensions were being notified by email and SMS. June 19 is the date AirAsia says the Melbourne-Denpasar and Adelaide-Denpasar suspensions fully take effect. (newsroom.airasia.com) AirAsia said guests needing assistance can use the self-service links in notification emails, the AskBo chatbot or, for agency bookings, their travel agent. (support.airasia.com 1) (support.airasia.com 2)