Bali Airport saw a unexpected increase of passenger numbers, particularly on the Saturday preceding (December 23). The actual number of passengers was higher than the predictions made earlier. The data revealed that the Saturday before the Christmas and New Year command post opened had seen the most passenger service.
Handy Herryudhitiawan is the General Manager at the Airport. He says that a total 38 042 domestic passengers have been accommodated. Arrivals dominate with 21 509. The airport also served 37,198 passengers from abroad, of which 20,753 were incoming travelers. Handy initially predicted that peak volumes of domestic and international passengers would be 35,000 each.
The airport handles on average 28,000 domestic and 30,000 international passengers per day. On the 23rd of December, a record-breaking 75,240 passengers were carried in one day.
The first day of the month (Posko Natal), December 19, saw 60,001 passengers. On the second day, December 20, the number increased to 62 610 passengers. On the third day, December 21, the number reached 65,941 and on the fourth day, December 22, 73 377 passengers. This was also higher than our forecasted peak in passenger movement. Handy said that “72,754 people, or 0.8 per cent above predictions,” were recorded.
The increase in passengers at Bali Airport on the eve (December 23, 2023) was accompanied with a significant increase in aircraft traffic. Bali’s skies saw 252 domestic and 195 foreign aircraft movements in one day. Cumulatively, from the Christmas Post opening to December 23 2023, there were 2,097 aircraft movement, which enabled the transportation of 337,000 passengers in five days.
The busiest route was the Jakarta route with 18,368 passengers. This was followed by Singapore with 8,104 passengers and Surabaya (5,862 passengers).
