Hang Nadim Airport on Full Alert During Eid Holiday Rush, Extra Flights Exceed Hundreds
Hang Nadim Airport in Batam is on full alert to handle a surge in passenger numbers during the Eid holiday travel rush in 2026. This is evidenced by a large number of additional flight (extra flight) applications submitted by various airlines.
As of mid-March 2026, PT Bandara Internasional Batam, the airport operator, has received approximately 290 applications for extra flights. These additional flights have been prepared to accommodate high demand from travellers returning to their hometowns.
The Director of Operations at PT Bandara Internasional Batam, Anton Marthalius, stated that in the last three days, the airport had operated as many as 86 extra flights.
“These extra flights serve routes with the highest number of passengers, such as Cengkareng, Surabaya, Kuala Namu, Pekanbaru, Padang, and Palembang,” he said on Tuesday (17 March).
He explained that the Eid transport post at Hang Nadim Airport would operate for 18 days, from 13 to 30 March 2026. The peak outbound travel is expected to occur on 18 March, whilst the return journey is predicted to take place on 28 March.
During the first three days of the post’s operation (13–16 March), the number of passengers reached 59,000 people, representing a 15 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, aircraft movements reached 428 flights, an increase of 4.4 per cent compared to 2025.
“This increase exceeds our initial projections. On an accumulated basis through the end of the post, we estimated passenger numbers would rise by 3 per cent and aircraft movements by 1 per cent. However, in just the first three days, passenger numbers have already increased by 15 per cent and aircraft movements by 4.4 per cent,” he said.
Nevertheless, Anton noted that the trend in passenger and aircraft movements is expected to remain fluctuating until the end of the Eid transport period.
In managing this surge, the airport is implementing three main strategies: strengthening human resources, adjusting operational procedures, and optimising facilities.
On the human resources front, personnel have been added during specific times, including support from the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police (Polri), as well as overtime arrangements to ensure optimal service delivery.
Regarding procedures, the airport management has postponed several works that could potentially disrupt flight operations, such as runway repairs and repainting. Additionally, a flight delay management system has been prepared.
On the facilities front, all supporting infrastructure has been ensured to be in optimal condition, ranging from lifts, escalators, air conditioning, boarding bridges, runways, to generators.
“Our hope is that all flight services during the Eid transport period can run smoothly until the post concludes,” he concluded.