Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Records An Increase In Passengers Of Up To 56 Percent During The Christmas-New Year Holidays

BADUNG - The post for Christmas and New Year's transportation at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali was officially closed after 19 days of running since it opened on December 17, 2021.

General Manager of PT Angkasa Pura I of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Herry AY Sikado, appreciated the success of organizing the 2021 and 2022 Christmas-New Year Transportation Commands.

"All relevant stakeholders have carried out their respective functions and roles in the smooth, safe, and secure flight operations at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, properly and according to procedures", said Herry on Wednesday, January 5.

The implementation of the 2021 and 2022 Christmas and New Year transportation is carried out at a time when the global world, including Indonesia, is experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic, which has not yet fully recovered.

The issue of the emergence of a new variant of the COVID-19 virus, namely Omicron, has made all parties, both from the transportation sector and the health sector, more alert and careful in implementing health protocols during the Christmas-New Year transportation period.

"Based on data during the period from December 17, 2021, to January 4, 2022, there has been an increase in the current flow of domestic passengers arriving and departing compared to the same period the previous year", he said.

"In the Christmas-New Year period this year, the number of passengers was 406,682 passengers, an increase of around 56.05 percent compared to the previous year's Christmas-New Year period, which was 260,476 passengers. The highest number of incoming and outgoing passenger movements or the peak occurred on December 19, 2021, amounting to 28,975 passengers. At the end of the Christmas-New Year period, the peak occurred the return flow was 24,731 passengers, namely on January 2, 2022", he explained.

Meanwhile, the flow of domestic aircraft arriving and departing decreased by 6.15 percent during the Christmas-New Year period with a total of 3,299 aircraft movements compared to the previous year's Christmas-New Year period, which was 3,515 aircraft.

"This achievement is a contribution from the entire airport community. I am optimistic that the level of visits this year will increase and therefore, I ask for cooperation and synergy to be able to continuously improve services to all airport service users", he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of Region IV Airport Authority, Putu Eka Cahyadhi, assessed that the activities of the 2021 and 2022 Nataru transportation integrated posts were running smoothly, safely, and under control.

"Various regulations both related to health protocols have been implemented by related elements, including airport operators, airlines, ground handling, government agencies and the Christmas-New Year post team at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport", he said.