Eye—witness describes bomb blasts in Jakarta

An eye—witness to the Jakarta bomb blasts has described the events in Jakarta as they unfolded on Friday morning.

For tourist Ian Wilson, disaster struck just minutes after breakfast.

He said: "We were in the Ritz Carlton when the first bomb went off...at the opposite hotel. And then the second one went off just a few minutes after we left the restaurant."

He added that help came quickly.

He said: "There was a number of people hurt, but the Indonesian authorities were very quick to respond to it. The police, the ambulance and the doctors turned up very quickly. So it was all very well—organised."

Several companies with operations in Indonesia have suspended all business travel to Jakarta. But some, like OCBC bank, have closed branches located near the affected area, and have said they will continue to monitor the situation closely.

CTC Holidays said several of its corporate clients — like banks — have also imposed travel bans to Jakarta.

Travel agents in Singapore are not expecting demand for flights to Jakarta to be dampened as a result of the blasts there.

This is because Jakarta is not typically a travel hot spot for tourists and is more of a destination for business travellers.

Many said they have not received any cancellations to Indonesia.

They said most customers recognise that Jakarta is separate from other destinations in the country. And they are not predicting demand for those locations, like Bali, to dip.

Meanwhile, low—cost carriers have also made alternative arrangements for travellers with flights to Jakarta.

Jetstar, which has four daily flights to the capital, has received some enquiries and arranged a few requests for changes in travel bookings.

Tiger Airways is also operating its usual number of flights. It is offering passengers who are booked to fly within the next seven days the option of postponing their flights up to March 2010. — CNA/ms