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BALI’s Governor Koster evaluated the effectiveness of efforts to improve public facilities and passenger arrival flows by convening a coordination meeting on enhancing service quality at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport. The meeting was attended by all agencies responsible for service operations at the airport.
This coordination meeting followed up on previous sessions held on August 23 and December 28, 2025. It was convened in response to numerous reports and direct complaints from passengers at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport during mid-2025.
At that time, passengers complained about baggage wait times exceeding one hour, snaking immigration queues, and slow customs clearance processes.
In response to these issues, the Bali Provincial Government immediately ordered a complete overhaul of the service system. The directives included reducing baggage wait times to 30–45 minutes and expediting immigration and customs processing. It also entailed upgrading essential infrastructure, such as replacing aging conveyor belts.
Governor Koster instructed airport management to replace dilapidated restroom facilities and provide seating for passengers waiting for their luggage.
Koster also called for the renewal of furnishings in the customs area, as well as the optimization of communication systems, cleanliness, and lighting quality.
During the follow-up meeting in late December 2025, all relevant agencies reported on the concrete system improvement measures they had devised.
Koster immediately approved the proposals, stipulating that they must be implemented consistently and responsibly. Based on the latest report from last Friday (August 15), Governor Koster noted significant progress across various areas.
“Baggage wait times for medium and small aircraft have now been successfully reduced to between 13 and 30 minutes. For wide-body aircraft with heavy loads, the time has been cut to between 18 and 40 minutes,” he stated. Beyond the baggage claim area, immigration services are also reported to be much faster thanks to the operation of automated gates (autogates) and the use of electronic passports—though exceptions still apply to certain countries, such as India, that use standard passports.
Regarding physical facilities, the entire airport area is now considered much cleaner, supported by ongoing programs to replace old restrooms, add new furnishings, and increase the number of service staff.
“I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport plays a vital and strategic role as the primary gateway and a showcase for Indonesia to the international community,” said Koster.
In 2025, Ngurah Rai Airport served 7.05 million international tourists—representing approximately 45.8 percent of the 15.39 million international visitors to Indonesia—as well as over 9 million domestic tourists; consequently, service standards must be strictly maintained.
“The airport’s presence and service quality are crucial to ensuring high-quality, sustainable tourism in Bali—tourism that not only drives the local economy but also generates significant foreign exchange revenue for the nation,” he added.
Despite the improvements, the Bali Provincial Government has pledged to maintain regular coordination to ensure the airport’s operational standards remain world-class—or are even further enhanced if necessary. [sources/special photo]
