Etihad Airways, one of the world’s largest airlines, has officially launched its direct flight route from Abu Dhabi to Bali. The inaugural flight landed at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, marking a significant milestone for Bali’s connectivity with the Middle East.
“We believe the addition of this route by Etihad will further solidify Bali as a world-class destination and demonstrates our commitment to continuously improve services for our passengers,” stated Handy Heryudhitiawan, General Manager of PT Angkasa Pura I, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, in a press release quoted by detikBali on Wednesday.
The new route is expected to open up new market opportunities and positively impact Bali’s connectivity with various international destinations. Handy is confident that Etihad’s operation will attract more visitors to Bali, boosting the island’s tourism sector.
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Etihad Airways landed its 787-900 Dreamliner aircraft, flight number EY 476, at 11:35 WITA with 289 passengers on board. The return flight to Abu Dhabi, EY 477, departed at 18:45 WITA, carrying 250 passengers. This direct flight route will operate four times a week.
Handy praised the launch of the Abu Dhabi-Denpasar route, highlighting its significance as the first operation of this airline and route at Ngurah Rai Airport. “Not only is Emirates Airways our new partner, but for the first time, Bali is directly connected to Abu Dhabi, covering a distance of approximately 7,529 kilometers, taking roughly nine hours. We are the second airport in Indonesia after Soekarno-Hatta to serve this direct route,” Handy elaborated.
He emphasized the potential of the Abu Dhabi-Bali route to increase international tourist visits, particularly through extended connectivity to Europe and North America. The route’s success is anticipated to enhance the tourism industry by attracting more visitors from these regions.
According to various sources, at least 100,000 people traveled from or transited through the United Arab Emirates, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, to Bali last year. This figure underscores the growing demand for direct connectivity between these regions.
Given this demand, Handy expressed optimism about the route’s success, “We see and are quite optimistic that this route can become one of the routes with a good passenger occupancy rate at Ngurah Rai Airport,” he concluded.
The introduction of Etihad Airways’ direct flight to Bali is a significant development in boosting the island’s tourism industry, enhancing its global connectivity, and reinforcing its status as a premier travel destination.
