Jetstar has stopped selling flights between Darwin and Bali for a month.
The airline, which operates direct services between the two destinations five times a week, said the decision was made due to planned works at Darwin International Airport.
“We have temporarily stopped selling direct flights between Darwin and Denpasar scheduled from 9 October to 8 November 2023 due to potential runway works by the Department of Defence,” Jetstar said in a statement.
“While the dates and times of the runway works have not yet been confirmed, we have proactively stopped selling flights during this period to limit the number of customers potentially affected.”
Jetstar said the flights will go back on sale if the works do not end up going ahead on these dates.
Those already booked on flights during this time have not had their flights cancelled and will be updated when the dates of the works are confirmed.
“Once the works are confirmed, we will contact customers already booked to fly to discuss their options including indirect flights via another port, a travel credit or a refund to their original form of payment,” Jetstar said.
“We thank customers for their understanding and patience as we wait for confirmation about the timing of the runway works.”
October 9 – the date from when Jetstar has stopped selling flights – is directly after the spring school holidays.
Assistant Defence Minister Matt Thistlethwaite said the runway needed to be strengthened to ensure it could cater for additional defence flights coming into the airport, according to ABC.
“There’s a negotiation that’s going on between Defence and the airport corporation at the moment, to ensure that we minimise the disruption to civil aviation through these works … and people coming to Darwin to visit, which is obviously important to the local economy,” he said.
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He said the department wanted the works to happen during the dry season (which runs from about May to October) and “start as quickly as possible”.
The Defence Department told news.com.au it intended to do “major maintenance works” to runways and taxiways during this year and next.
“The runway works are currently scheduled to commence later this year, and Defence and Airport Development Group are working closely together to develop a staging plan for these works that ensures the safety of all airport users and minimises the impact to civilian airline schedules and military aircraft operations,” a statement said.
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