01 Apr 2025
Mangupura, April 1, 2025 – I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport has further strengthened Bali’s international connectivity. For the first time, Saudia Airlines has begun regular operations at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport with a route to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia via Singapore on Monday (31/03).
On its inaugural flight, Saudia Airlines operated a Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner with flight number SV856, arriving at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport carrying 118 passengers at 19:42 WITA. The aircraft then departed for Singapore at 22:06 WITA under flight number SV857, carrying 113 passengers. The service is scheduled to operate three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
The Governor of Bali Province, Wayan Koster, who attended the inaugural flight ceremony of Saudia Airlines, welcomed the new route positively. “This route will certainly increase the number of tourist visits to Bali, especially from Saudi Arabia,” he said.
According to data from the Class I Special Immigration Office TPI Ngurah Rai, the number of Saudi Arabian tourist arrivals in 2024 reached 14,000. By March 2025, arrivals from Saudi Arabia had reached 3,000.
“Looking at the data on tourist visits to Bali, it can be concluded that the number of arrivals from Saudi Arabia continues to grow. With this flight, we certainly hope the number of visitors will increase further,” Koster added.
CEO of Region II PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia, Wahyudi, stated that passengers from Saudia Airlines flights would not only stop in Bali but could also explore nearby destinations such as Lombok, Labuan Bajo, and others. “Therefore, we hope that with the addition of this service, international connectivity in Bali will continue to improve and tourism in Indonesia will keep growing,” he said.
In line with Wahyudi, Head of Airport Authority Office Region IV, Cecep Kurniawan, also expressed his appreciation for Saudia Airlines operations at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. “With Saudia Airlines now operating, it is expected that Bali and Nusa Tenggara will become increasingly recognized by the international community, which in turn can support the economy and aviation industry in the region,” he explained.
General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, expressed confidence that Saudia Airlines’ operations will further strengthen Bali’s position as a world-class destination. “The opening of the route to Saudi Arabia via Singapore creates opportunities for Bali to promote its attractions to a wider market. With strong synergy among stakeholders, we believe Bali will become even more globally recognized,” he said.
With the commencement of Saudia Airlines operations, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport now serves 40 international routes across 20 countries, operated by 43 airlines. As of February 2025, the airport has served a total of 3.6 million passengers.
