Indonesia’s relaxation of domestic travel rules has led to an increase in mobility among its citizens ahead of the upcoming Eid Al-Fitr holiday. This can be seen at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, which has started receiving applications for extra flights from national airlines.
Handy Heryudhitiawan, the General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, stated that there have been 258 applications for extra flights from five airlines, namely AirAsia, Citilink, Pelita Air, Super Air Jet, and Batik Air.
The influx of additional flight requests is due to the increased demand from people who will be traveling to and from Bali for the holiday. The busiest flight routes during the holiday period are Jakarta, Surabaya, and Makassar.
To anticipate the surge in passengers one week before the holiday, Handy explained that they have established an integrated post to serve passengers 24 hours a day.
He added that the airport facilities have undergone thorough inspections, and the airport security is being reinforced by both the police and military, including the Kepolisian Resor Kawasan Bandara I Gusti Ngurah Rai and the Pangkalan TNI AU Ngurah Rai.
As of March 2023, Ngurah Rai Bali Airport has served 2.1 million domestic passengers. Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta airport has the highest number of domestic passengers, with 1.1 million, followed by Surabaya with 289,482 passengers and Makassar with 117,992 passengers.
In addition to the movement of holidaymakers, Ngurah Rai Airport will also be bustling with domestic tourists who will be vacationing in Bali during the Idul Fitri holiday from April 19 to 25, 2023.
As previously reported, hotels have already received numerous reservations from domestic guests who plan to vacation in Bali during the holiday.
The increase in travel activities during the holiday period presents an opportunity for airlines, hotels, and other tourism-related businesses to generate revenue.
However, it also poses challenges in terms of ensuring the safety and security of passengers and the public in general, especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, it is crucial for all stakeholders involved to follow and enforce the necessary health protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.
