PHUKET: Strategic Airlines has cancelled services between Perth and Bali and Townsville and Bali, raising a question mark over the future of its Phuket-Brisbane and Phuket-Melbourne flights.

Two of three Strategic Australia-Bali services are to end in October along with its Brisbane-Townsville flights as the small young airline reassesses its commitments.

Strategic has made no comment so far on the future of the Phuket-Australia services, or its remaining Brisbane-Bali flights.

Strategic has been flying between Phuket and the two Australian state capitals since February but suffered a major setback in June when the sole aircraft that flies both routes was forced out of action with mechanic failure for several days.

Stranded passengers complained about lack of communication and delays in Strategic finding them alternative flights home on other airlines, a situation that Strategic has since promised will not arise again.

Feedback from fliers is that the Strategic low-cost full-service flights are of good quality, and Phuket certainly benefits greatly in having direct links with Brisbane, laregest city to the north of Australia's popular east coast, and Melbourne in the south.

But the airline is small and highly geared to maximise revenue, one of the reasons why the Brisbane-Townsville and Perth-Bali services have been abandoned in favor of more flights between Perth, the west coast capital, and Derby, a town to the north that has become the centre of Australia's mining boom.

The perthtoday site online reported that Strategic Airlines was not available for comment and people holding tickets beyond October should contact the airline, or their travel agent.

Virgin Australia, Jetstar, Air Asia and Skywest also operate on the Perth-Bali route.