The first Singapore Airlines flight to land in Bali in nearly two years received a warm (if rather wet) welcome today, with the plane carrying the single largest number of passengers on a commercial international flight to the Indonesian island since it closed to foreign tourists in March 2020.
Flight SQ938 touched down at Ngurah Rai Airport at noon today after departing from Singapore’s Changi Airport. To mark the occasion, the plane was given a water salute as it taxied towards the arrival terminal.
According to reports, SQ938 carried 156 passengers, comprising 109 foreign tourists and 47 Indonesians. The plane departed for its return leg to Singapore at 1pm, carrying 83 passengers, the majority of whom are Indonesians.
Alvin Seah, Singapore Airlines’ general manager for Indonesia, said that starting today, the airline will fly between Singapore and Bali seven times a week. The number of flights may be adjusted up or down in the future depending on demand.
Related — Airlines lining up to fly internationally to Bali: officials
Though Bali officially reopened to international tourists in October 2021, Ngurah Rai Airport only saw its first commercial international flight arrival since the beginning of the pandemic on Feb. 3, when Garuda Indonesia carried 12 tourists from Tokyo’s Narita Airport.
Other than from Japan and Singapore, Bali is also expecting flights from Australia to resume in the near future.
Fully-vaccinated tourists arriving in Indonesia are required to undergo five days of quarantine at a designated hotel. Starting March 1, tourists who have received three COVID-19 vaccine doses will be able to quarantine for just three days.
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