Schapelle Corby on a Malindo flight to Brisbane. Picture: Instagram

Far from turning Aussies off visiting the island, the blanket coverage of the convicted drug smuggler’s return to Australia appears to have ignited interest in travel to Bali.

And it’s provided a major profile lift for Malindo Air — previously unknown to many Australians.

Inquiries about Bali through package holiday specialist Luxury Escapes have been “off the charts” since last week, according to general manager Blake Hutchison.

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“It might be an unconscious thing, but there’s no denying that the media interest in recent days has put Bali top of mind for thousands of Australians and this has been translating to record numbers of holiday bookings,” he said.

Sentosa Seminyak luxury villa resort, where Schapelle Corby stayed after her release from prison.Source:News Limited

“It’s a little too soon for precise figures, but I would say inquiries for Bali holidays are up at least 20 per cent this past week and we can’t help but attribute at least some of this to the fact Bali has been the No. 1 topic of national conversation.

“The correlation between the media coverage and interest in Bali is unmistakeable.”

Interest in Malindo Air — the airline Corby eventually flew home on after fooling the media with a Virgin Australia boarding pass — is now front of mind for Bali travellers, he said.

“After last weekend the secret is out that there’s another flight option to consider when travelling to Bali and it’s been nothing short of PR gold for the full-service airline,” Mr Hutchison said.

Google Trends shows a huge spike in Malindo Air searches on May 27.Source:Supplied

Flight Centre’s head of leisure Tom Walley said for Australian holiday-makers, Malindo Air was worth knowing about.

“Malindo is quite competitive when it comes to pricing which is great for Aussie travellers,” he said.

“Their main offering is direct flights to Bali and Kuala Lumpur as a full service legacy carrier. Your airfares will include food, entertainment and baggage and when you compare pricing with the low cost carriers it really is quite competitive for a full service offering.”

Malaysian-based Malindo Air, which launched in 2013, only started flying the Brisbane route in March, and has been flying to Perth since 2015.

Last year, it was named Asia Pacific Regional Airline of the Year.

Malindo Air has been flying to Perth since 2015, but only recently launched Brisbane flights.Source:Supplied

While for many Aussies, the first they’d heard of the airline was when Corby boarded last week, it won’t be the last they’ll hear of it — though it may not be under the same name.

The sudden brand awareness for Malindo Air comes during a period of expansion as the airline prepares to change its name to Batik Air Malaysia in the second half of this year, with plans to add Sydney and Melbourne routes.

Schapelle Corby on a Malindo flight to Brisbane. Picture: InstagramSource:Supplied

Meanwhile, data from flight booking site Cheapflights also indicates the Corby case hasn’t put Aussies off visiting the holiday isle.

A spike in searches to Bali coinciding with Corby’s release over the weekend and on Monday was in line with weekly trends, according to regional sales manager Nathan Graham, who said Australia’s obsession with the island had endured the test of time.

“Despite everything from diplomatic tensions to disruptive ash clouds, Aussies’ love for Bali has stayed strong and consistent,” he said.

“Our recent Cheapflights Compass report backs this up, with the data showing that Bali is both the most popular and affordable Asia Pacific destination for local travellers.”

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