Officials to Aid Stranded Air Australia Passengers in Bali

Jakarta Globe, Lydia Tomkiw, February 17, 2012

Australian passengers arrive at Ngurah Rai airport for flights to Australia
 in Denpasar on Bali island on Friday. Budget carrier Air Australia collapsed
 on Friday stranding thousands of passengers as its domestic flights and
 international services to Honolulu, Bali and Phuket were all grounded.
(AFP Photo/Sonny Tumbelaka)

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Australian consular officials are stationed at Denpasar International Airport in Bali to offer assistance to any Australians who have been affected by budget carrier Air Australia’s sudden collapse on Friday.

Two flights leaving Bali for Australia, with over 100 passengers booked on each, were scheduled to depart tonight and tomorrow.

Australian embassy spokesman in Jakarta, Ray Marcelo, said consular officials will offer assistance such as emergency loans and help finding places for passengers to stay.

Air Australia’s collapse in February may be serendipitous because it is a quieter travel month for Australians to Bali, and other flights may have spare capacity to accommodate stranded passengers, Marcelo said.

Air Australia advised its passengers to find alternative flights.

Marcelo said the embassy has not yet received any requests for assistance, however it is prepared for the possibility some people may not know about Air Australia’s collapse and will arrive at the airport expecting to board a flight.

“We will have to wait and see,” he said.