ER
BALI’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport welcomed the inaugural flight on the Bandung (West Java)-Denpasar (Bali) route. Operations for the Bali-Bandung-Bali route commenced last Friday (August 14) with the national carrier, Garuda Indonesia.
Garuda Indonesia flight GA335 made its maiden departure from I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport at 09:44 WITA, carrying 162 passengers.
The flight arrived in Bandung at 10:15 WIB, marking the first jet aircraft arrival at Husein Sastranegara Airport following the facility’s optimization.
“The inaugural flight on this route signals the re-optimization of Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung for regular flights.
The opening of this route coincides with the 81st Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia,” said Purna Irawan, Acting General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, as reported by antaranews recently.
Conversely, the Bandung-to-Bali service was operated as flight GA334, departing at 11:47 WIB and arriving at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport at 14:30 WITA with 162 passengers on board.
“We welcome the launch of these inaugural flights to and from Bandung; the moment is made even more special as it takes place amidst the spirit of celebrating the 81st Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia.
This is also part of our effort to provide broader air connectivity for the public,” said Purna Irawan.
Connectivity between Bali and Bandung is considered to hold great potential, given that both regions are destinations with strong tourism appeal and robust economic activity.
“We hope this connectivity will offer convenience to people wishing to travel between Bali and Bandung.
We hope to see more tourists and businesspeople exploring the potential of both regions,” said Purna Irawan. The launch of the Bandung route via Husein Sastranegara Airport further expands the domestic route services at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
As of mid-August, Bali is connected via 23 domestic routes, bringing the total number of routes served—both international and domestic—to 64.
With the operation of this Bali–Bandung–Bali route, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport hopes to strengthen inter-regional connectivity and generate a positive impact on the community.
“We extend our appreciation to Garuda Indonesia and all parties involved in establishing this new connection.
We are committed to providing wholehearted service by continuing to support the development of flight networks that prioritize service quality, safety, security, and comfort for all airport users,” concluded Purna Irawan. [sources/special photo]
