It Was a Very Good Year! Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport Farewells Last Passengers of 2019 & Welcomes First Passengers of 2020 on New Year’s Eve 2019

On the eve of 2020, the management of Bali’s Airport Authority – PT Angkasa Pura I created a special welcome program for passengers who spent their New Year’s Eve flying.

As reported by Beritadewata.com, the last passengers leaving Bali just before midnight on Tuesday, December 31, 2019 and the first group of passenger arriving just after midnight were treated to a special program prepared by the Airport’s staff.

Passengers departing Bali on Qatar Airways QR961 destined for Doha on New Year’s Eve were farewelled by the general manager of the Bali Airport Authority – PT Angkaa Pura I (PTPAP) Herry A.Y. Sikado, director of marketing and service Devy Suradji, and representatives from the airport community. Departing passengers were feted and given souvenirs to remember the evening.

Similarly, passengers arriving on the last flight of 2019 were extended a warm welcome that included traditional dances performed with a gamelan, and commemorative gifts.

Herry, commenting on the combined welcoming and farewell event, said: “Our airport represents the main gateway for people coming to Bali. This is the place where they first set foot in Bali. Their first impression of Bali is created by the airport, especially at times such as the transition to a New Year. A genuine welcome rich in Balinese cultural elements is what we prepared for the last passengers departing in 2019 and the first passengers arriving in 2020.”

Continuing, Herry added: “The rhythms of gamelan and Balinese dance are famous the world over. The ‘magic‘ of Bali has always lured tourists to travel to Bali. Island visitors who have sat on airplanes for hours are greeted with a real mood booster.”

Irina, a passenger leaving Bali on New Year’s Eve was impressed with the farewell ceremony. “I really liked the farewell given by the Bali Airport before we flew. It will be a moment long remembered,” she said.

Meanwhile, David, one of the first visitors to arrive in Bali in 2020, also said he enjoyed the special welcome extended to passengers. “Wow, this is the first time I became one of the first passengers arriving in the New Year. The welcome was very unique . . . Balinese flowers and souvenirs,” he said.

The Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport recorded 22 million passengers arriving or leaving the airport and 148,000 aircraft movements through the end of November 2019. The previous year, in 2018, Bali’s Airport recorded 21.7 million tourists over 148,000 aircraft movement. With December statistics not yet included in the current count, expect 2019 numbers to even higher.

“With the end of 2019 in December, the decade also has come to an end. For the period 2010-2019, we have served some 175 million passengers and handled around 1.27 million aircraft movements. Every year, there is certain to be an increase in the number of passengers served. This fact serves as an indicator that Bali is an increasingly popular international tourism destination and at the same time demonstrates that we (PT Angkasa Pura I) are providing airport services that meet the demands of travelers. Nonetheless, we will never be personally satisfied with the service we provide and will continue to innovate, upgrade, and improve our services to meet the constantly rising expectations of the travelers,” said Herry.

While the 2019 figures are still being collated, 2018 was a record year for the number of passengers and aircraft movements handled by Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport when 23.78 million passengers and 162,000 aircraft movements passed through the airport. In the course of the past decade, an average growth rate for passengers and aircraft movements of 9% were recorded.

Source : balidiscovery.com