T

he authorities of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali are preparing for the arrival and departure of at least 369 extra flights to and from the world renowned resort island during the Idul Fitri holidays.

The extra flights represent a 129 percent increase compared to the number of flights during the Idul Fitri holidays last year, General Manager of the airport Yanus Suprayogi said on Thursday.

Six airlines have proposed extra flights through the airport namely Garuda Indonesia, Citilink, Nam Air, Sriwijaya Air, Wings Air and Lion Air, he said. The extra flights will be operated from June 15 to July 10 arriving from several airports across the country.

“It is expected that many domestic tourists will come to the island during the Idul Fitri holiday,” he said.

Several airlines will also use bigger aircraft to accommodate more passengers.

Citing as an example, Yunus said Garuda Indonesia had decided to change aircraft for at least 11 flights to and from Bali from the Boeing B737-800, which can accommodate only 162 passengers, to the larger B777-300, which has 393 seats. The national flag carrier has also proposed 12 additional flights.

An estimated 66,366 extra seats will be available on flights to and from Bali during the Idul Fitri exodus period, or an additional 2,500 seats per day.

On average I Gusti Ngurah Rai international airport serves 382 domestic and international flights per day.

Given the extra flights, state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura I expressed hope that all airlines and ground handling staff would maintain their service quality to prevent schedule disruptions.

“Airlines and ground handling staff must maintain their service and timely performance,” Yunus said.