Bali Airport has seen a series of delays and diversions as the province grapples with the impacts of Cyclone Seed 93S.
On Sunday, 14th December, dozens of flights were impacted by extreme weather, and with more alerts expected throughout the rainy seasons, tourists have to come to terms with the potential risks of travel.
In a media statement, the Communication & Legal Division Head of PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia, I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Gede Eka Sandi Asmadi, explained that due to unfavorable weather conditions in the airspace around I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, a series of flights on Sunday experienced operational delays and diversions.
He told reporters, “We, along with all relevant stakeholders, continue to coordinate intensively to ensure the safety and smooth operation of flights. Passenger safety and security remain our top priority.”
The flights affected included TransNusa’s Guangzhou–Denpasar route, Jetstar’s Adelaide–Denpasar route, Wings Air’s Lombok–Denpasar service, Garuda Indonesia’s Melbourne–Denpasar service, Jetstar’s Sydney–Denpasar route, and Lion Air’s Makassar–Denpasar service.
One Lion Air flight on the Jakarta (CGK)–Denpasar route was also forced to divert to Surabaya Airport due to weather conditions in Denpasar being so poor that it was unsafe to land.
Flights had to go around, or cancel landing, others had to hold departure until it was safe for take off. Asmadi told reporters, “Understandably, the weather changes very quickly. By 10.30 am, all flights were back to normal.”
Adding, ”Airport users should continue to monitor flight information through their airlines and follow the directions of airport staff.”
Asmadi has urged all tourists traveling into and out of Bali Airport in the coming days to actively monitor flight information as shared by airlines and to follow the directions of airport staff to anticipate possible schedule changes.
The Bali Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency has issued extreme weather warnings that will be in place until 18th December, and as the rainy season progresses, the weather could continue to impact travel.
When the extreme weather warning came into effect on 13th December, the BMKG issued a statement explaining that the public must.“
Be aware of the potential for extreme weather in several areas of Bali, which could lead to hydrometeorological disasters (floods, flash floods, landslides, strong winds, tornadoes, and hail), depending on the vulnerability level of each region.”
Over the weekend, tourists were evacuated from villas and guesthouses in Seminyak, and hundreds of people were caught in flooding in Seminyak, Canggu, Ubud, Legian, and Kuta. Tourists have also been explicitly warned about the potential risks of floods, landslides, and road collapse in Kintamani.
News of more bad weather to come will surely put pressure on Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Over the festive season, Bali typically welcomes over one million tourists, and the airport is poised to mark another record-breaking year. Leaders are working around the clock to ensure that passengers travel safely and comfortably.
The Christmas and New Year logistical operation will come into effect in the coming days as the first wave of festive travellers arrive on the island.
While the festive season is always a busy time for Bali Airport, leaders are already looking ahead to a further increase in passenger numbers in 2026.
The General Manager of Bali Airport, Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, told reporters that Bali Airport has served over 22 million tourists between January and November 2025.
He explained, “We believe this figure is also influenced by the addition of new connectivity with three countries, including routes to Newcastle, Australia, Mumbai, India, and Shanghai, China.”
He concluded, “As we have done in previous years, we will be holding a Christmas-New Year post this December as a step towards providing excellent service to our users.”
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