01 Jan 2023
Mangupura, January 1, 2023 – As one of the main gateways to Bali, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport held a special ceremonial event to bid farewell to the last departing passengers of 2022 and to welcome the first arriving passengers of 2023.
The send-off ceremony for the final passengers of 2022 took place at the International Departure Terminal waiting area, featuring Emirates flight EK399 on the Denpasar–Dubai route, scheduled to depart at 00:05 local time. Passengers were greeted with flower garlands and chocolates as a token of appreciation and gratitude for choosing to fly through I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport – Bali.
At the same moment, the airport also welcomed the first passengers of 2023, who arrived onboard Korean Air flight KE629 from Incheon to Denpasar, landing precisely at 00:00 local time. The joyful celebration was attended by the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia and the Vice Governor of Bali Province, who personally presented flower garlands and chocolates to the arriving passengers.
Handy Heryudhitiawan, General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport – Bali, expressed his gratitude for the successful event.
“Today, together with our stakeholders, we held the farewell ceremony for the last departing passengers of 2022 and welcomed the first arrivals of 2023. This marks our expression of gratitude as we closed the year 2022 and began 2023 with renewed enthusiasm,” Handy said.
“The presence of the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy and the Vice Governor of Bali gives meaningful encouragement to our airport operations, symbolizing strong government support for the aviation and tourism sectors—both of which play a vital role in improving the welfare of the people of Bali,” he added.
Passengers enthusiastically joined the celebration, receiving flower garlands and taking commemorative photos with airport stakeholders. “We hope this creates a memorable impression for our passengers at the start of the new year and marks a bright beginning for I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport – Bali in 2023,” Handy continued.
In the lead-up to the new year, the airport also presented traditional dance performances from December 23 to 31, 2022 at both the Domestic and International Terminals, celebrating the festive season and the significant increase in passenger traffic during the Christmas and New Year holidays. According to data from the Integrated Service Command Post from December 19–31, 2022, the airport recorded 735,187 passengers and 4,890 aircraft movements.
