Five Flights from Bali Cancelled Following Middle East Airspace Closure

The escalation of armed conflict in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has had a significant impact on international flight operations at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali. As of Sunday (1 March), five scheduled international flights have been officially cancelled.

Gede Eka Sandi, Communication and Legal Division Head at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, revealed that the closure of airspace in several Middle Eastern countries is the primary cause of these cancellations. Approximately 1,631 prospective passengers have been affected by the situation.

“Currently, we have five departure flights that have been cancelled. According to the data we have received, approximately 1,631 passengers are affected,” said Eka Sandi in Badung Regency on Sunday (1 March).

Based on airport authority data, the accumulated passengers affected are from three major airlines: Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad. The aircraft from all three airlines remain parked at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport as they have not yet received authorisation to traverse the airspace affected by the conflict.

The airport authority is ensuring that passenger handling is conducted in accordance with procedures. Passengers who have been waiting at the airport since yesterday have been provided with hotel accommodation by the airlines. Meanwhile, for passengers who have not yet departed, the airlines have conducted intensive coordination to prevent them from being stranded at the airport.

“We are cooperating with the airlines to ensure that affected passengers are provided with hotel accommodation. We have also established a help desk to serve passengers who wish to request refunds, change their route, or reschedule their flights,” added Eka Sandi.

Airspace closures have been reported in Iran, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and parts of Syria. This has temporarily disrupted flight routes from Asia to Europe and the Middle East.

I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, together with AirNav and security stakeholders, continues to monitor the latest developments. Although the Middle East route is disrupted, domestic and other international flights outside the affected area are ensured to continue operating normally.