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Big Changes Coming To Bali Airport Taxi System For Tourist Arrivals

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Following a brawl at the arrival pick-up area outside I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on Sunday, 27th October, airport management has swiftly implemented a series of solutions to prevent such an incident from happening again.

Outside of Bali Airport.jpg

The management team at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport has apologized to anyone who observed or was affected by the brawl on Sunday afternoon.

Airport management has said that the brawl broke out after airport security staff worked to move a group of illegal taxi drivers away from the main pick-up area and out of the designated pick-up lanes for vehicles during a time of peak crowding. 

The dynamics between different taxi providers in Bali have been a point of contention for many years, with online taxi providers often clashing with locally owned private taxi firms and independent drivers.

While issues have quietened down in recent month, Sunday night’s clash suggested that the tensions remain bubbling away beneath the surface.

Speaking to reporters, the General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali, Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, explained, “Given the fairly dense situation and indications of the presence of [taxi drivers] other than our business partners there, the incident occurred. What we did in the field was to mediate.”

He confirmed that a mediation meeting has now been held, and solutions will be implemented as soon as possible. Shahab explained, “All parties understand this situation and are committed to jointly advancing Bali tourism in a better direction. This is to make a positive impression on tourists.”

Shahab confirmed that a dedicated counter will be installed for airport pick-up outside the main arrivals door. This, all hope will help streamline arrivals into set funnels, allowing those who have already pre-arranged pick-up to find their driver and for those seeking a driver to be able to book a ride without being hassled.

Shahab added, “After the meeting, we and our business partners reviewed the location where the counter was planned to be placed.”

@kyu00055 Finally hello bali 😍🛬 #bali #ngurahraiinternationalairport #citlink #holiday ♬ Landing di Bali – Faizal Maulana

Over the years, thousands of tourists have noted how frantic the arrivals area of Bali Airport can be.

With many drivers calling out the names of their pre-booked clients and the independent taxi drivers offering rides to tourists who haven’t made bookings prior while many new arrivals are still looking at their phones, getting their bearing’s or looking to book an online taxi, the whole area becomes quite frenetic and bustling very quickly. 

Airport management has also confirmed that they will continue to evaluate the flow of passengers throughout the arrivals process to help create a more organized pick-up system, reduce crowd congestion, and create an arrivals experience that is as stress-free as possible for tourists.

Airport-Porters-Push-Luggage-Trolleys-At-Bali-Airport

Shahab concluded, “We ask for support from all parties; hopefully, in the near future, there will be steps of improvement that can be implemented immediately. We express our gratitude for all suggestions and input for improving services in the future.”

Entrance-To-Bali-Airport-International-Departures

Though Sunday night’s altercation has fast-tracked the improvements, it makes sense that airport management would now start to focus on the second half of the arrivals process.

Over the last year, immigration and airport management have worked together to implement solutions that help streamline the arrivals process for tourists and cut queue times.

This has included the promotion of the e-visa on arrival and other e-visa categories that allow tourists to touch down in Indonesia with their visa pre-approved and the installation of new autogate technology. 

Autogate-passport-reader-in-Bali-Airport

The autogate technology enables arrivals to complete immigration checks in just a matter of seconds and has helped considerably reduce queue times at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Indonesia’s Directorate General of Immigration has allowed relaxed a list of top tips to help tourists use the autogates correctly and keep everyone moving through the airport smoothly. 

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Older Brit

Thursday 31st of October 2024

I have been in and out of Bali for almost 50 years. It's not just the airport the whole island has become an unpleasant slum. Yes I do still sometimes stopover for a couple of days en route to Australia as it's convenient, but will no longer stay longer. It's as much the fault of todays most common tourists as the often non Balinese locals.

Dman

Thursday 31st of October 2024

One of the hardest international airports in the world to get a metered taxi wtf? People just want to jump in a taxi and get to their hotel/villa/whatever without the big hassle it is now. Anyway when you arrive just go upstairs to departures and grab a taxi that has just dropped off a passenger. They will usually try and sneak you onboard and put the metre on.

penelope

Thursday 31st of October 2024

I travel to Bali 1-3 times per year for the last nearly 30 years (Covid excepted). Until only a couple of years ago the ONLY taxi you could get was the Ngurah Rai Taxi. They charged a bomb $20-25AUD just get out of the airport then would rip you off for the rest of the trip, drive in circles, take long routes, not turn on the metre, turn on the metre which ran way too fast etc. Noone had a choice (unless your hotel sent a private driver). So it was fabulous that GoJek and Grab have finally been allowed in. However i really noticed how aggressive the local drivers are, screaming shouting in my face and physically blocking my path, chasing me, when i would politely say 'no, thank you' 'Tidak, Terema Kasih'. It was very intimidating and distressing being literally stood over, shouted at, followed etc. That behaviour from whoever these people are needs to be curbed. It is frightening and distressing and leaves one feeling most shaken. The prices they quote are outrageous and not even near what you pay with GoJek or Grab. So of course i say .no'. If their prices were reasonable I would consider them. They do themselves a big disservice by being rude aggressive and trying to take advantage of well intended tourists (or more plainly, rip people off).

Jordan

Wednesday 30th of October 2024

The airport set up is a mess. Everyone is made to funnel through 1 exit even though theres another lane leading out into the car park that's always closed off it makes no sense.

Have a lane for grab and gojek where the offices already are and then use the other lane for taxis and the beggers you have to push through just to leave the airport

Rusty212

Wednesday 30th of October 2024

That should be rideshare not timeshare 🤣