24 Nov 2024
Mangupura, November 24, 2024 – Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport has expanded its domestic flight network with the launch of two new routes: Palembang, operated by Lion Air, and Pontianak, served by Super Air Jet. The addition of these routes enhances the airport’s connectivity to Sumatra and Kalimantan. Furthermore, a route to Medan is scheduled to resume service in early December.
Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, General Manager of PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, expressed his enthusiasm for the new domestic routes.
“As one of Indonesia’s most populated islands, strengthening connectivity with Sumatra and Kalimantan is vital for supporting Bali’s tourism growth. We extend our appreciation to all parties involved in opening these new flights to and from Palembang and Pontianak. This development reflects the commitment of the entire I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport community to connect Bali with destinations across the country,” he stated.
On its inaugural flight, Lion Air flight JT 275 departed from Denpasar to Palembang on Wednesday (Nov 20) at 10:10 p.m. WITA using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, carrying 76 passengers to Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport in Palembang. The return flight, JT 274, landed in Bali at 11:07 p.m. WITA with 110 passengers on board. This route operates every Monday and Wednesday.
Two days later, on Friday (Nov 22), Super Air Jet launched its first Pontianak service. Flight IU 272, operated with an Airbus A320, landed in Bali at 4:03 p.m. WITA with 131 passengers and departed back to Pontianak at 4:40 p.m. WITA as flight IU 273 with 113 passengers. This route is scheduled to operate every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
Lion Air’s Palembang route marks a reactivation of a service that had been suspended during the pandemic. Meanwhile, Super Air Jet’s Pontianak route is the first of its kind at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. With these additions, the airport has introduced six new domestic routes in 2024—serving Palembang, Pontianak, Sorong, Bandar Lampung, Berau, and Sumbawa—and a total of 15 new routes across both domestic and international sectors.
With the launch of the Palembang and Pontianak services, the airport now offers flights to 64 destinations, comprising 24 domestic and 40 international routes. A total of 54 airlines operate at the airport, including 12 serving domestic routes and 42 operating international services.
Ahmad Syaugi noted that the expansion of domestic routes is expected to boost passenger numbers.
“As projected this year, passenger traffic at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport is expected to reach 23.6 million travelers, and the addition of new routes will help achieve this target. To support this growth, we are optimizing airport facilities, including widening road access, improving terminal layouts, and adding a new pedestrian overpass (JPO),” he explained.
