E - VISA INFO

Bali Welcomes Singapore Airlines for the First Time in 2 Years

Boeing B787 aircraft from Singapore Airlines finally landed in Bali for the first time on February 16, 2022. Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport gave a heart-warming welcome to flight number SQ938 which arrived around 11.50 A.M. It carried a total of 156 passengers with 47 Indonesian citizens and 109 foreigners. The same aircraft took 61 passengers with flight number SQ939 from Bali to Singapore at noon on the same day.

Bali Reopens International Flights with Singapore Airlines First on the Line – Others Will Follow

In a written statement by the President Director of PT Angkasa Pura, Faik Fahmi, he described that the relaunch of international flights in Bali is aspired to give a leap of faith to recover Bali’s tourism sector that has been at a great disadvantage due to COVID-19.

More on Singapore Airlines, Koster explained that Jet Star and AirAsia have informed that their Airbus A320 aircraft from Singapore will also bring more passengers to Bali. The plan estimation is on March 16, 2022. He expected the plan will be brought forward than the announced date.

Bali’s Readiness to Welcome Singapore Airlines

With Bali is again serving international flights, to anticipate the spread and increase of COVID post-arrival on the passengers from Singapore Airlines, the Bali Provincial Government has prepared screening procedures for entry requirements, quarantine hotels, and ensured hospital readiness for foreign travelers who are COVID-19 positive.

The Governor of Bali Province, Wayan Koster, and all tourism actors have been hand in hand to monitor all screening processes in the airport to run properly. These include:

1. Screening the passengers’ e-HAC form they had to fill out before their departure through PeduliLindungi,
2. Health proofs (showing their full vaccination certificate and PCR results taken for a minimum of 2×24 hours),
3. Retaking PCR test on arrival, and
4. Waiting for 1×24 hours for the result to show up while screening other documents such as a receipt from hotel booking, electronics customs declaration (e-CD), immigration documents, and travel insurance.

Supposedly, the PCR test shows positive in a passenger, the COVID-19 task force will coordinate with the accommodation crew in advance. Together, they will assist the quarantine process for the passenger in their hotel room (if the symptoms are light). Otherwise, the task force will have to perform migration for the sick passengers with heavy symptoms to the hospitals appointed by the Government. On the other hand, if the Covid-19 test shows a negative result, the passengers can go traveling any destinations they wanted to.

Starting Today, There Is No Longer Quarantine for Foreign Visitors!

Previously, the Central Government had extended PPKM level 3 in a number of regions in Indonesia. In the extension of PPKM level 3, Indonesia starts to loosen up a number of rules. These include the quarantine waive for foreign travelers starting from March 7, 2022. The reactivation of the visa on arrival that follows will also ease up the visitors.

Citizens in Bali have been through full vaccination programs with 104% for 1^st vaccine, and 94% for 2^nd vaccine.  Bali’s Provincial Government’s committed to reaching 30% booster vaccine jab as soon as possible. Today (3/7), the distribution of the booster vaccine has been at 22.3%. The President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo has approved the instruction to remove quarantine for Bali’s visitors. 

Not only that, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar said that travelers who have been fully vaccinated with the first and second dose plus booster, without a history of illness can go anywhere once their PCR test during their entry screening proves negative. The tourists are closely monitored to make sure they adhere to the existing health protocols.

Read more on No More Quarantine for Visitors in Bali from March 7, 2022

The world has been suffering for over 2 years after the first case of COVID-19 appeared in Wuhan, China. We could not be happier for Bali to reopen the international tourism sector. Hopefully, there are more international airlines to come!