TransNusa eyes transition to full-service, expands Perth schedule to help passengers avoid a LCC experience
Indonesian carrier TransNusa is expanding its Bali–Perth service in an effort to attract travellers looking for an alternative to the region’s dominant low-cost carriers.
Starting on 2 July, the airline will increase its weekly flights between Denpasar and Western Australia from seven to 11, before going double daily from 18 July.
TransNusa launched the route in March The route is flown using a 174-seat Airbus A320-200 in an all-economy configuration.
Despite offering only economy seating, TransNusa is keen to position itself as a full-service alternative to budget carriers.
The airline said its international operations – the Perth route marked its first step outside Southeast Asia – will retain a full-service model, and it plans to transition its domestic services away from a low-cost framework after receiving the green light from Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
“The move to enhance our customer comfort is part of our plan to grow TransNusa as a secure and caring brand in line with our premium service carrier status,” CEO Bernard Francis was quoted as saying.
TransNusa and the LCC competition
The carrier currently serves six domestic airports in Indonesia and also operates regional international routes to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Guangzhou.
It aims to differentiate itself in a competitive market dominated by budget giants such as AirAsia and Jetstar.
TransNusa’s expansion into Australia comes at a time when passengers are increasingly vocal about poor service and cramped cabins on low-cost carriers, especially on flights of four hours or more.
With a fleet of four A320-200s, two A321-200s and three Comac ARJ21s, the airline is aiming to carve out space in a saturated regional market.
“This new route is not only an important breakthrough for TransNusa, but also opens up great opportunities to strengthen the relationship between Indonesia and Australia, while driving dynamic growth in the tourism and economy sectors of both countries,” the airline said in a statement.
TransNusa has not announced any plans for business class or lounge access, but maintains that its product will evolve as the airline grows its footprint in key Asia-Pacific markets.
Since resuming operations in October 2022, TransNusa has rapidly expanded by increasing its flight network, including international routes.
