At least 115 flights from and to Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport will be temporarily halted during the Hindu Silence Day or Nyepi Day on Thursday (March 3, 2022), state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura I informed.
“On Thursday, from March 3 at 6 a.m. to Friday, March 4, at 6 a.m. WITA (Central Indonesian Standard Time), I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport will stop operating temporarily to honor the Nyepi Day worships that will be held by Balinese Hindus,” President Director of Angkasa Pura I Faik Fahmi informed here on Wednesday.
Based on the obtained data, at least 58 arrival flights and 57 departure flights will stop operating temporarily for 24 hours, he said.
Private-owned Lion Air will be the airline carrier with the most flight suspensions on Silence Day. It will suspend 15 flights to Bali and 14 flights departing from Bali will not operate, he added.
At least 22 and 21 flights of Citilink and Wings Air will be halted, respectively, he said.
Furthermore, the operations of 57 flight routes from and to Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang and 16 routes from and to Juanda Airport in Surabaya will be halted during Nyepi Day, and 9 flights from and to Lombok International Airport will join the temporary closure, Fahmi said.
The stoppage of I Gusti Ngurah Rai airport operations is based on the issuance of Notice to Airmen (NOTAMN) Number A0031/22, he added.
“The NOTAMN contains notices to airlines and airports around the world regarding the temporary suspension of flight operations at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport during Nyepi Day,” Fahmi said.
He also said that Angkasa Pura I has coordinated with the relevant stakeholders, especially with airline companies to not sell flight tickets to and from Bali during the Nyepi Day closure.
Angkasa Pura I has also readied personnel at Ngurah Rai Airport to anticipate emergency flights, such as emergency landings and medical evacuations via air, he added.
Source: Antara News