I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Returns to Serve International Flights on a Regular Basis

Garuda Indonesia GA881 flight from Narita landed in Bali, Angkasa Pura I ensured the implementation of health protocols in accordance with the procedures.

Jakarta, February 4, 2022 - I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali returned to serve international flights on regular basis as of Thursday, February 3, 2021, marked by the landing of Garuda Indonesia aircraft on Narita-Bali route with flight number GA881. The aircraft landing on Thursday (03/02) at 16.32 WITA was the first regular international route flight since the opening of the international route to Bali on October 14, 2021.

Based on the data, the flight using Airbus A330 carried 12 passengers. Upon arrival at the international arrivals terminal of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, all passengers promptly underwent a health check as part of the health protocols implemented by Angkasa Pura Airports as the airport operator, in collaboration with a number of member agencies of the airport community.

“Flight GA881 marks the re-opening of the international route to Bali that was temporarily closed at the early Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. This is a good start. As the operator of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, we welcome the flight and are so excited about the following regular international flights,” Angkasa Pura Airports President Director Faik Fahmi said.

Faik Fahmi also put an emphasis on the implementation of health protocols in handling arriving passengers at the airport. “The handling of passengers went smoothly in accordance with established flow process and health protocols. We also express our gratitude and highest appreciation to all airport community agencies for the synergy in handling the arrival of passengers on the first international route to Bali,” he added.

The readiness of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport as the main air gateway to the island of Bali includes the passenger journey from getting off the plane to pick-up to the quarantine hotel. The flow of international passenger arrivals is as follows:

1. Pre-Flight: before flying to Bali, prospective passengers on international route flights are required to complete e-HAC through PeduliLindungi application, present a full vaccination certificate, have 3x24 hours negative PCR test results, fill out an electronics customs declaration (e-CD), have quarantine hotel booking documents, ensure immigration documents and have travel insurance;
2. Having their body temperature checked using Thermo Scanner;
3. Checkpoint: at this phase, the airport officer helps passengers input data from their e-HAC, control the data and print their respective QR codes. AP I provides 20 counters with a waiting capacity of 300 seats. The registration process takes 1-2 minutes/person;
4. The Port Health Office officers check to ensure that passengers have a complete set of health documents;
5. Undergoing RT-PCR test with a sampling process time of 1.5 minutes. Angkasa Pura Airports provides 20 RT-PCR test booths;
6. The officers check immigration documents with a check-in time of 1 minute. Angkasa Pura Airports provides 32 immigration counters;
7. Baggage collection on the conveyor belt with a processing time of 20-40 minutes;
8. Tapping electronic customs declaration (e-CD) with a processing time of 0.16 minutes;
9. Waiting for RT-PCR results in the Holding Area, tapping the QR Code checkpoint, and confirm hotel reservations and transportation. If the RT-PCR result is positive, the passenger will be taken to the hospital;
10. Passengers tap the QR Code checkpoint and confirm hotel reservations and transportation;
11. Passengers head to the pick-up area to go to the quarantine hotel.

In general,  to go through the entire process, passengers take around 104 minutes or 1 hour 44 minutes.

“We continue to evaluate the implementation of the passenger handling process in the field, with the hope that the arrival handling process will be more efficient and faster, while prioritizing the implementation of health protocols for the realization of a safe, comfortable, and healthy journey,” Faik Fahmi said.

“In addition to the current flight, other airlines have officially submitted applications for and obtained route permits, including Singapore Airlines flight on Singapore-Bali route on February 16 and Batik Air on Bali-Singapore route. The optimal implementation of health protocols, starting from departure airports, on planes, at arrival airports, to tourist attractions, will foster the confidence of the international community to fly again and return to travel in Bali, that eventually cause a positive multiplier effect on the economy,” he concluded.