For those amongst us who are familiar with arriving at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport at peak rush hour or anytime during the high season, we know all too well how intense the queue can be.
From immigration to baggage collection, queue times have reached into the hours in the past, and leaders want to make sure that it can never happen again.
This week, the Class I Special Immigration Office at Ngurah Rai International Airport has confirmed that it is preparing to totally reorganize passenger flow in the international arrivals area of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
This step is being taken to create a seamless, faster, and more convenient immigration inspection service for all international passengers arriving in Bali.
The Head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, Bugie Kurniawan, told reporters that the current layout of the international arrivals area of Ngurah Rai Airport is different from Soekarno-Hatta Airport, which has a longer arrivals lane. This is why those arriving in Jakarta often face shorter queue times even at the peak flow of arrivals.
Kurniawan explained, “If you’re at Soekarno-Hatta, you might have experienced arriving at Terminal 3. From the door you exit the plane to the baggage claim, it’s quite a long journey.”
He also highlighted how, upon arrival at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International, passengers enter the arrivals area passing first the Visa on Arrival (VOA) counters, quarantine desks, and Indonesian Online Registration devices, before heading through to baggage claim.
He confirmed that the plan is to create a new passenger flow that sends arrival passengers straight through to immigration control. This is possible now, in part, due to thwarting wider adoption of eVisa, meaning tourist arrivals have their visas approved prior to landing in Bali.
Kurniawan explained, “This way, all passengers will proceed directly to immigration, either through the autogate or to the counter. From there, we’ll direct them according to their needs.”
He confirmed that the Visa on Arrival service will remain available. With the new arrival flow, passengers who have met all entry requirements for Indonesia, including those who have their eVOA, will be allowed to pass through directly. Meanwhile, passengers without a visa will be directed to the VOA counter. Passengers who have not yet completed the Online Indonesia form will also be directed to the provided entry devices.
Moving forward, Ngurah Rai Immigration will continue to encourage increased use of autogates to expedite immigration clearance.
Kurniawan explained that the autogates reduce immigration checks down to just a matter of seconds, helping keep arriving passengers on the move. He noted, “Because this autogate is so fast, it doesn’t compromise on security. The inspection system is so sophisticated.”
He added, “The hope is that passengers will complete immigration checks more quickly, smoothly, and comfortably. This could be spread through word of mouth that Ngurah Rai Immigration is becoming more sophisticated, easier, and more convenient.”
Arrivals into Bali Airport in the coming days will notice other changes at the arrivals terminal too. Following the outbreak of Hantavirus on MV Hondius, and in alignment with the international response, Bali Airport has installed thermal cameras to help improve biosecurity for the province.
Speaking to reporters, Gede Eka Sandi Asmadi, the Head of Communication and Legal Division at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, confirmed that the airport team is working alongside the Denpasar Health Quarantine Center (BBKK) to increase health screening for passengers arriving in Bali.
He explained, “As an initial step related to screening passenger health conditions, the Denpasar Health Quarantine Center (BBKK) has placed two thermal scanners at the international arrivals terminal and one unit at the domestic arrivals area, with monitoring by BBKK officers.”
Concluding, “We ensure that all areas of the airport consistently meet hygiene standards, including waste management, to prevent litter that could potentially become a breeding ground for rats and/or other sources of disease.”
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