Government Relaxes Airplane Travel Requirements, Passenger Traffic At I Ngurah Rai Airport Immediately Increases 15 Percent

Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport recorded an increase in the number of domestic passengers in the period 11 to 23 August. This increase was driven by the easing of the travel requirements policy for Java-Bali transportation passengers, namely being able to use the Antigen rapid test with a validity period of 1 x 24 hours.

Stakeholder Relations Manager of PT Angkasa Pura I (Persero) I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Bali, Taufan Yudhistira, said that passenger arrival traffic at Ngurah Rai Airport continues to increase day by day.

"Yes, there is an increase (of passengers). Approximately 10 to 15 percent (in that period)", he said when contacted by VOI, Tuesday, August 24.

As is known, the government previously issued a new regulation regarding aircraft travel on domestic and international routes during the PPKM (Community Activity Restrictions) level for the period August 10-16, 2021. The regulation was stated in the Ministry of Transportation Circular Letter Number 62 of 2021 which came into effect on August 11.

In this circular, the government regulates that intra-Java-Bali passengers with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine must include an RT-PCR test. Meanwhile, passengers with the second dose of vaccine can choose the Antigen result.

Taufan said that at the beginning of this new rule, the number of passengers at Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport was recorded at 1,345 people. This number increased when compared to August 10, which recorded only 974 people.

"On August 12 there were 1,194 people. Then on August 13, there was an increase again, there were 1,566 passengers who arrived at Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport", he said.

Meanwhile, on August 14, there were 1,673 people came to I Ngurah Rai Airport. Then on August 15, 1,384, on August 16, there was a decrease of only 913. However, on August 17 there were 1,336 people.

"On August 18, 2021, there were 1,188 people, and on August 19 there were 1,566 people. Then, on August 20 there were 1,675 people, August 21 there were 1,634 people, and on August 22 there were 1,507 people. On August 23 the number decreased to 1,254 people", he said.

Meanwhile, continued Taufan, for departure traffic from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport Bali also increased. At the beginning of the easing of this rule, on August 11, the number of passengers departing from Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport was recorded at 1,365 people. On August 12, there were 1,076 passengers.

Then there was an increase again on August 13 with 1,331 passengers. However, on August 14 there was a decline, passengers departing from Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport were only 1,228 people.

Then, on August 15, the number of passenger departures was recorded at 1,834 people. On August 16, departures were recorded to decrease to only 1,165 people. However, on August 17, 2021, there was an increase in passenger departures of 2,099 people.

On August 18, the number of departures again decreased to 1,350 people. However, it increased again on August 19 with 1,851 people. Then, from 20 to 21 August, 1,746 and 1,776 passengers were recorded down.

"But on August 22, the number of departures increased to 2,252 people and fell again on August 23 to 1,692 people", he said.

Extended but loosened

As is known, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has extended PPKM in Java and Bali. But for the Jabodetabek agglomeration area and several regencies/cities, the PPKM level dropped to level 3.

"The government has decided that starting from August 24 to August 30, 2021, some regions can be lowered from level 4 to level 3. Java and Bali islands, the agglomeration areas of Greater Jakarta, Greater Bandung, Greater Surabaya, and several other cities/district areas can already be at level 3 starting on August 24", Jokowi said in the announcement of the PPKM extension via the Presidential Secretariat Youtube, Monday, August 23.

According to Jokowi, there has been quite good progress in handling COVID-19 in Java and Bali regarding the PPKM level.

"There is quite good progress, level 4 from 67 regencies/cities is reduced to 51 regencies/cities. Level 3 from 59 regencies/cities to 67 regencies/cities. Level 2 from 2 regencies/cities to 10 regencies/cities", continued Jokowi.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Pandjaitan, said several agglomeration areas were still implementing PPKM level 4.

"Specifically for the agglomerations of Bali, Malang Raya, Solo Raya, and DIY, they are currently at level 4. But from the data we have it will soon enter level 3 sometime in the future with continuous improvements in handling COVID", said Coordinating Minister Luhut at a press conference held by the Presidential Secretariat's Youtube, Monday, August 23.

However, the travel requirements are still the same as in the previous PPKM, namely domestic travelers who use private cars, motorbikes and long-distance public transportation (airplanes, buses, ships, and trains) must show a vaccine card at least the first dose of vaccination.

"Shows D-2 PCR for aircraft and Antigen (D-1) for private cars, motorbikes, buses, trains and ships", quoted from the Ministry of Home Affairs number 35 of 2021.

Then, this condition only applies to arrivals from outside Java and Bali or departures from Java and Bali to outside Java and Bali and does not apply to transportation within the agglomeration area, for example for the Greater Jakarta area.

"Traveling by plane between cities or regencies within Java-Bali can show negative results for antigen (H-1) provided that you have received a second dose of vaccination, and negative results for H-2 PCR if you have just received dose 1 of the vaccine," reads the Minister of Home Affairs No. 35 the Year 2021.