It’s been a gradual process, but we’re increasingly heading towards pre-pandemic normality in terms of flights in and out of Bali. Batik Air Malaysia has become the latest airline to announce the reactivation of another popular route: Bali-Melbourne.
Batik’s first Bali-Melbourne flight since the pandemic is scheduled for June 17, after which it will service the route four times a week. The first return flight is set for June 18, also scheduled four times a week going forward.
“Bali is one of the regular destinations for travelers from Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur,” said Batik Air CEO Mushafiz Bin Mustafa Bakri in a statement.
The announcement further signifies Bali’s revival as a tourism hotspot after it had become dormant in the past couple of years due to the pandemic.
Australians have traditionally been among the top five tourist nationalities flocking to Bali even before COVID-19 hit globally. After the folks down under were forced into a lockdown and Bali itself was forced to close down throughout the pandemic, Aussies are returning to the Island of Gods just like in days past.
As of April, travelers from Australia are back on top in terms of the number of visitors to Bali, followed by passport holders from the UK, Singapore, the US, and France.
Ngurah Rai Airport itself is currently the second busiest airport in Indonesia – the first one being Juanda Airport in Surabaya. The removal of obligatory PCR tests as well as the increasing number of nationalities eligible for visas on arrival (we’re now at 72, folks!) have been credited as the major reasons that reignited foreigners’ enthusiasm for Bali.
