Bali, March 15, 2018 - Welcoming The Day of Nyepi Caka New Year 1940/2018 M, I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Balidid not operate for 24 hours starting from Saturday 17 March 2018 at 06.00 WITA and started operating again on Sunday 18 March 2018 at 06.00 WITA.
The temporary suspension of this flight operation refers to the Letter of the Director General of Air Transportation number AU/2696/DAU/223168/1796/99 dated September 1, 1999 on the Operation of Ngurah Rai Airport Bali on Nyepi Day.
"As in previous years, we will stop all activities of service at the airport for 24 hours during Nyepi implementation next Saturday. This closure is a form of respect for Angkasa Pura Airports for Hindus in Bali in order to perform worship in peace, "said by Angkasa Pura Airports Director, Faik Fahmi.
With this closure it means that all scheduled and chartered flights, both domestic and international routes, were eliminated. Based on data collected, at least 482 flights were not operated at Nyepi which consists of 244 domestic flights and 238 international flights. Most routes destinations were to Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Perth and Surabaya. The potential number of people who did not depart and come to Bali at Nyepi were 56,478 people.
To manage the upcoming flight schedule and depart from Bali, Angkasa Pura Airports in cooperation with Airnav Indonesia Denpasar Branch has issued notices to airlines and airports around the world via Notice to Airman (NOTAM) number A0117 / 18.
"The airport closure plan is already known to all the airlines in the world, we have also coordinated intensely with the airlines. They have adjusted and set the schedule with the airport closing period, "said by General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Bali, Yanus Suprayogi.
Despite the closure, the airport still served an emergency flight. "At Nyepi there will be 368 of our personnel on standby at the airport. We do this to anticipate emergency landing, technical landing or medical evacuation. We are also supported by Airnav, Immigration, Customs, KKP, TNI AU Ngurah Rai, Ngurah Rai Air Area Police, airline, ground handling and pecalang, "said by Yanus.
Based on scheduled flight data, Garuda Indonesia (GA897) from Guangzhou-China and GA7049 from Lombok became the first flight to land after the closure. While Indonesia AirAsia (QZ550) destination Kuala Lumpur and Garuda Indonesia (GA401) destination Cengkareng were planned to be the first flight departing from I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport.
