Low-cost airline Tigerair has dumped its Australia to Bali flights permanently, saying the Indonesian Government refused to provide regulatory approval for the flights.
The budget airline said Indonesian authorities had told the carrier they required “an alternative regulatory solution for Tigerair’s operations to Bali”.
The company said this would take at least six months, and “would compromise the airline’s ability to offer low-cost airfares to travellers”.
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Tigerair said it had today decided to suspend the route permanently.
In a statement, chief executive Rob Sharp said the company’s only option was to withdraw the Australia to Bali flight routes permanently.
The statement said Tigerair would work with Virgin Australia to support any passengers still in Bali and needing to travel home to Australia.
The company was also offering full refunds to customers booked to travel to Bali with them.
The move follows the company’s suspension of flights between Australia and Bali last month, which saw thousands of people stranded in Bali, and plunged school holiday travel plans for many into chaos.
The company was due to resume flights today, saying it had secured approval to fly using its Airbus A320 aircraft.
Tigerair, which is owned by Virgin Australia, initially claimed the Indonesian Government had imposed “new” administrative requirements which forced the suspension.
But the Indonesian Government hit back, accusing Tigerair of breaching its regulatory license.
This post originally appeared on ABC News.
