DENPASAR, Bali — Heavy tropical rains sweeping across southern Bali on Saturday disrupted air traffic at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, forcing several incoming flights to circle in holding patterns and prompting authorities to divert others to neighboring islands.
Airport officials said the decision was taken as a precautionary measure to protect passengers and flight crews as intense rainfall reduced visibility around the airport throughout the morning.
“To ensure flight safety, aircraft scheduled to land were subject to air traffic flow management due to heavy rain in the airport area,” said Gede Eka Sandi Asmadi, Head of Communication and Legal Affairs at Ngurah Rai Airport, in a statement cited from Antara.
According to airport authorities, at least six inbound flights from cities including Melbourne, Perth, Labuan Bajo, Abu Dhabi, and Bengaluru were instructed to remain airborne while awaiting clearance to land. Five additional flights were diverted entirely, with two rerouted to Lombok International Airport and three to Surabaya.
Despite the temporary disruption, airport management emphasized that ground operations and passenger services inside the terminal continued to function normally. No flight cancellations were reported as of Saturday afternoon.
Coordinated Response Amid Extreme Weather
Ngurah Rai Airport, operated by PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia, said it remains in close coordination with AirNav Denpasar, airlines, and Indonesia’s meteorological agency to manage operations during the ongoing rainy season.
Bali has entered a period of heightened weather volatility, marked by prolonged rainfall and strong winds. Officials warned that similar disruptions could occur over the coming days as weather conditions remain unstable.
The Bali Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BBMKG) has issued an early warning for heavy rain and gusty winds across much of the island from December 27 to 29. Wind speeds are expected to reach up to 45 kilometers per hour, affecting areas including Badung, Denpasar, Gianyar, Buleleng, Karangasem, Klungkung, and Jembrana.
Peak Holiday Travel Adds Pressure
The weather disruption comes at a particularly sensitive time, as Bali experiences a surge in air traffic during the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
Airport data shows that between December 15 and December 26, more than 811,000 passengers passed through Ngurah Rai Airport, averaging nearly 68,000 travelers per day. During the same period, the airport handled over 5,100 aircraft movements.
With passenger volumes rising and weather conditions becoming increasingly unpredictable, aviation authorities urged travelers to remain patient and to monitor updates from airlines closely.
For visitors and expatriates accustomed to Bali’s tropical climate, the episode serves as a reminder that weather can change rapidly during the monsoon season — and that safety-driven delays, while inconvenient, are often unavoidable in an island region shaped by shifting winds and rain-laden skies.
