Bali’s border is set to reopen to foreign travellers and tourists. KLM Royal Dutch, Scoot, Tiger Air, and JetStar Airways have resumed flights to the Indonesian island, Bali, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
Flights Resume
Starting from March, KLM Royal Dutch will start four Boeing B-777 flights per week and Scoot Tiger Air, three Airbus A-320 flights between Singapore and Denpasar (Bali). JetStar Airways will also begin three flights per week for the following routes: Singapore-Denpasar, Sydney-Denpasar, and Melbourne-Denpasar; these routes will be predominantly using Airbus A-320/21 and Boeing B-788 aircraft.
Faik Fahmi, who is President of Indonesian state-owned airport operator and management company, Angkasa Pura I (API), said in a statement yesterday:
“API sincerely welcomes plans to reopen KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Scoot Tigerair and Jetstar Airlines international slots at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali. This is a positive sign of the recovery of international airlines. Confidence that foreign tourists fly to Bali and spend their vacations. “
Indonesian Politician and Governor, Wayang Coster, said:
“We received a call from Garuda Indonesia’s president about plans to (reopen the flight route) from Sydney to Denpasar,
Coster added:
“We hope that in early March, tourists will no longer be obliged to quarantine as long as they comply with the requirements of the Health Protocol and show negative test results on departures and arrivals,”
The Pandemic’s Impact on Bali
The Covid-19 Pandemic has so far resulted in 5,149,021 infections and 146,202 coronavirus-related deaths in Indonesia. Despite Indonesia’s ongoing rise in Omicron variant cases, it recently reached a new daily record of 55,100 Covid-19 cases.
However, for the first time in nearly two years, Bali has begun reopening its borders to foreign tourists. On Wednesday 16th February, the first international flight to land in Bali was a Singapore Airlines aircraft carrying over 100 international travellers and 47 Indonesians.
Bali Hotel and Restaurant Association Chair, Rai Wijaya, said:
“We are aware of the increasing and fluctuating Omicron variant cases, but as long as we are strictly implementing health protocols, we should not be worried”
Do you have plans to travel to Bali and if so does their rising Covid-19 infections rate concern you? Let us know in the comments below.
