Bali Airport partially closed for commercial flights on October 5, 6, 8 and 9, 2013

Ahead of the APEC Summit in Bali, The Indonesian Ministry of Transportation via the Directorate General of Air Communications have sent a notice to all airlines, that due to the arrival of the many Heads of State and official delegations to the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit, who will fly in by Presidential planes, Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport will be closed for all commercial flights on specific dates and times.

The airport will be closed on Saturday, October 5, from 1000 hrs. to 1600 hrs. local, Central Indonesia Time; Sunday, October 6, from 1000 hrs. to 2000 hrs.; on Tuesday, October 8, also from 1000 – 2000 hrs.; and again on Wednesday, October 9, from 1000 hrs. – 1600 hrs.

In this connection, Garuda Indonesia announced that on these dates the airline will cancel 139 flights, which include flights from Bali to Narita, Osaka and Haneda in Japan, and a number of flights to Singapore on the international routes. While domestic flights affected will be those from Bali to Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Lombok, Makassar and a number of flights to Jakarta, said Pujobroto, Vice President Communications of Garuda Indonesia, as reported by Kompas daily.

91 Garuda flights will be adjusted. These are flights from Bali to Australia and South Korea, as well as a number of domestic flights.

While 12 flights will be diverted, among which the Jakarta-Bali-Kupang (Flores) flight will be diverted through Surabaya, as well as the Jakarta –Denpasar (Bali) – Jayapura-Timika flight, which will be diverted to Jakarta-Makassar- Jayapura-Timika.

Passengers to and from Bali are strongly advised to check flight arrival and departure dates and time with Garuda or their respective airlines.

Parking of Private Planes and Toll Road Fees

Earlier, the Committee for the Preparation of the APEC Summit also informed that as 1,200 CEOs are expected to attend the CEO Summit from October 5-7, while a large number of CEO’s will arrive by private planes, these planes will be parked in airports nearest to Bali so as not to congest Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport. These will be parked at the airports of Surabaya (East Java), Makassar (South Sulawesi) and Lombok island. While presidential planes will be parked on Bali’s airport apron.

President Yudhoyono himself has personally checked all preparations and held a coordinating meeting with the Committee on September 14, and again on Monday, September 23, when the President will officially declare open Bali’s new toll road between Benoa – Ngurah Rai Airport – Nusa Dua.

The toll road will be free of charge to the public until 1 October 2013, after which toll fee will be Rp.10,000 for private cars, pick-ups and small vans, while buses and 2 axle trucks will have to pay Rp.15,000. Motorbikes are charged Rp. 4,000.

Drivers are advised to heed wind speed notices and speed limits for motorcycles and cars.