NTB Governor Welcomes Significant Increase in Singapore-Lombok Direct Flights

West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal has welcomed the addition of international connectivity to the region, particularly the Singapore-Lombok route, which will see a significant increase from 4 to 10 flights per week. Iqbal confirmed that the surge in flights would be served by Scoot, a low-cost carrier and subsidiary of the prestigious Singapore Airlines. “With this addition, Lombok officially cements its position as the destination with the highest frequency of flights from Singapore outside Java and Bali,” he stated in Mataram on Wednesday. He welcomed the additional routes, noting that this positive outcome was the fruit of diplomacy and lengthy hard work aimed at boosting regional tourism and the economy. “Alhamdulillah, after a long effort, our international flight frequency has increased by 6 flights per week. So, from only 14 international flights per week, starting this June it will become 20 flights per week,” said Iqbal. The former Indonesian Ambassador to Turkey added that the NTB Provincial Government would not rest on its laurels. His administration is currently overseeing interconnection efforts to the Pacific region. “We are still awaiting the permit process for the Lombok-Darwin and Lombok-Perth routes,” he said. According to Iqbal, the acceleration of international route additions is being deliberately pushed to welcome a series of large-scale sporting events to be held in NTB in the near future, including the Pocari Sweat Run in July and the world’s most prestigious motor racing event, MotoGP, in October 2026. Interestingly, Iqbal noted that NTB’s success in gaining additional foreign flight slots comes amid a trend of declining international routes in several other Indonesian regions. “At a time when foreign airlines are reducing schedules to destinations in Indonesia, Lombok has succeeded in significantly adding schedules,” Iqbal asserted. Over the past year, the local government has successfully pushed for the opening of five new flight destinations. If permits for the Darwin and Perth (Australia) routes are completed, Iqbal noted, NTB will soon have seven new international destinations. Beyond opening new routes, he continued, the government has also successfully added 12 flight schedules to existing routes. “With increasingly wide-open flight access, NTB is now ready to pamper foreign tourists while strengthening its position as a main magnet for Indonesia’s future tourism,” he concluded.