Qantas will resume flying its own red-tailed aircraft to Bali this year, albeit only on a seasonal basis, to tap into the premium travel market for holiday-makers.
The Boeing 737s will run between Sydney and Denpasar four times a week from 4 December 2015 to 29 January 2016, supplementing Jetstar's all-Boeing 787 flights.
Qantas is spruiking the flights as a "full service, premium travel option direct to Bali" with inclusions of checked baggage, inflight entertainment and food and drinks as key differentiators against the cheaper Jetstar fares, which begin with a seat and nothing else.
Business class travellers on the route will see "a Rockpool-designed menu served on Marc Newson tableware" plus inflight Kate Spade and Jack Spade amenity kits containing Aurora Spa products.
Flight QF43 will depart Sydney at 5.10pm every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, reaching Denpasar at 8.50pm.
The Boeing 737 will then turn around to fly out of Denpasar at 10.40pm as flight QF44, touching down into Sydney at 7.40am the next day.
Tickets are now on sale, with business class return fares from $1,933 and economy from $733.
"We know how attractive Bali is as a holiday destination, so through efficient use of our aircraft, we’ve unlocked more domestic Boeing 737 flying time" commented Qantas International CEO Gareth Evans.
"It means we can give customers more choice and cater for the spikes in demand we see over the summer peak."
Virgin Australia continues to run direct flights between Sydney and Bali, although its all-economy Tigerair will take over services from Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth to Denpasar from 23 March 2016.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
24 Apr 2014
Total posts 272
I just don't think single aisles can compete on International routes. People expect more comfort than that
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
16 May 2013
Total posts 25
Bali is hardly a long haul destination.
15 Jun 2014
Total posts 8
It's still a red eye and no fun in a 737 no matter what the class of travel.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jul 2014
Total posts 143
getting some good choice, QF/VA 737, GA A330 or JQ 787 out of SYD.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
19 Mar 2014
Total posts 569
Air Asia's flat bed is still the best choice. The lack of pitch and 2 toilets for 160 people in the main cabin make it not suitable. The business product is fine for a day flight but my office chair reclines further
10 Sep 2012
Total posts 149
Garuda is the best choice to Bali, year-round. A330 comfort, decent seats and pitch in J, and the crews are very good indeed.
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1435
I think you wil find most 757s (single aisles) are on international routes, not to mention A321NEOs and the like. Check most intra-Asia flights. Just flew Icelandair and it runs 20+ 757s from the US hubbing through Reyjkavik to Europe and it is an airline of choice to Europe for many Americans who want to avoid big airports. Personally I cannot see the difference between a 3 across narrow body or a 3 across row in a wide body. More srtting optiosn on long haul that is all.
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3020
Bali? Really???? Hmmmmm ok.... Good luck with that.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 May 2013
Total posts 355
You'd be surprised. Bali has a lot of ultra-expensive, top notch resorts and places to stay now. There is actually a premium market there that may suit QF.
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3020
ultra-expensive as in gauche?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 552
Exactly, still an upmarket bogan bus
07 Aug 2012
Total posts 196
I agree - while Bali still has the trashy Kuta area, a lot of Bali isn't that cheap anymore.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 552
Just because something is expensive doesnt mean it has any style
07 Aug 2012
Total posts 196
Money is money, whether it comes from a stylish Hermes wallet or a trashy Guess handbag.
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 452
I agree.I just did the math and anything decent is close to three grand based on peak season with sightseeing in the better areas of Bali.I would have no hesitation to go back and I am even considering it for 2016 once new work commences and doing it as a Christmas Holiday.You pay more for say Singapore or Penang these days or almost as much.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
19 Mar 2014
Total posts 569
There's two type of people when it comes to Bali; those that love it and those that haven't been. It caters for all markets, especially the luxury market.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Jun 2014
Total posts 168
Cx and both fly premium J to bali. just because it attracts some of the detritus of Australian society does not mean that it is not a beautiful place with world class resorts and facilities. Having just spent 3 days in a suite at the Peninsula in Hkg and 7 days at club med in bali there is no contest which wins hands down. bali every time for wonderful family holiday.
Qantas
02 Sep 2015
Total posts 37
Hmm. Also good luck. If I won a free trip i still would not go. Who would want to go to bali in jan in Australia. Bondi beach. ST Kilda beach. Why would you leave. Dec Jan In bali is off peak season
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
19 Mar 2014
Total posts 569
St kilda beach?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Feb 2015
Total posts 361
My thoughts exactly....;) Bondi & Gold Coast, but St Kilda...really?
10 Sep 2012
Total posts 149
Dec/Jan would be for the school holiday peak season.
Seriously, who would go to the vulgar boganic dreckitude of the Goldy when they could shack-up for two weeks at the St Regis in Bali?
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 452
I have been to the Gold Coast and It's not all that bad but after America the year before was let down by the theme parks.The Sightseeing was the best part though.
22 May 2015
Total posts 27
Great! If only this flight was all year round. then we would be able to see all four major players in the Australian aviation industry (QF, JQ, VA, TT) all fly to Bali. How exciting would that be!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 552
Exciting?
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3020
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 Sep 2013
Total posts 1252
Haha LOVE this!
20 Apr 2014
Total posts 93
good news to get another full service carrier to DPS, the failling dollar will only drive more vacationers there at the moment.
QF will be able to deliver better OTP as JQ suffers from lack of aircraft causing delays and cancellations.
The 737 is not ideal for a flight this length but frequent flyers will be able to snag front rows and J upgrades which should help - The cabin of JQs 787 is only marginally better than a single aircraft anyway with the high density (and painful) seating.
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 452
Not a bad choice but I admit i would prefer a A330 OR A 747-400 on this sector but still compared to a low cost carrier is better than nothing.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 May 2012
Total posts 581
They'd really struggle to profitably fill a 744 on this route...
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 452
I did it way back in 2000 on a 744 coming home and it was a 763 going over.Can anyone tell me how much has the market changed and the people who go to Bali these days is now.I know P&O AUSTRALIA have done the math comparing one of their South Pacific Cruises to a Bali Holiday and then you have such excellent value for money local options like Cairns or the Gold Coast but am curious to want to know more.
07 Aug 2012
Total posts 196
Back in 2000, JQ didn't exist yet. So for QF they could only send their own planes. At the time QF didn't have 738s, so their only options were 767/747 in order to reach SYD-DPS.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
19 Mar 2014
Total posts 569
Neither did air Asia, VA (int) and air paradise (defunct Bali based carrier serving Aus.) the only choice was Garuda or qantas.
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 452
At the time I went back in 2000 we also had Ansett but that as an option disappeared for good by the time I was about to book my second trip there.I had it pretty good with Qantas even if it meant flying via Sydney to Bali from Adelaide.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
15 Dec 2014
Total posts 284
Always nice to see more competition on the route. I think they are only adding a 737 on the route as the route mainly attracts leisure travellers/young party goers. Seeing that they don't like to fork out the big money, they tend to travel on low cost carriers.
The main pax load I see on this flight would be families, and other holiday makers. There also might be some schoolies travelling on the flights.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 Sep 2013
Total posts 1252
It's Kate Spade, not Kate Space.
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2509
Cheers for the pick-up, eminere, typo fixed.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Sep 2015
Total posts 3
Really not much chop when traveling to Indonesia for business and have to sit upright on the overnight flight home. Better on the A330 Qantas from Jakarta or Garudas A330. Flat beds
28 Nov 2012
Total posts 93
Well I actually prefer Jetstars 787 business class for this kind of trip. The good thing is they have an afternoon flight back to Melbourne some days, leaving around 2.30pm Bali time which is perfect
10 Aug 2015
Total posts 117
I am liking the creativity of routes, in particular for short / peak periods QF is offering.
Would be wonderful if there could be some winter sun destinations direct from Canberra, help those of us on the Tablelands efficiently defrost for a week or so each July & August.
Canberra could become the Gatwick of the south
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 552
Keep dreaming
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 May 2015
Total posts 44
When will these be availble to book?
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2549
You can book them now.
18 Sep 2015
Total posts 128
An overnight flight these days in business has to have a fully flat bed seat. A domestic configured 737 just does not cut it. QF used to run 767s on the Bali route. Sure they did not have lie flats but had what was the business class standard of the day - large chairs and with heaps more leg room than a dom 737. If QF really want to genuinely claim to have a premium service then it needs to put on at least A330s.
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 452
I agree and it sucks there is nothing to fill the gap in capacity between the 737 and the A330 on this service these days.I did this service way back in 2000 on the 767 over plus got a whole row to myself as the plane was not full plus 747 coming home Granted It was in Economy but compared to the horror stories I heard from the rest of my gang about what they went through with Garuda I had it pretty good.
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