Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Transportation Ministry's Directorate General of Air Transport has readied I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on Bali Island as a backup airport to serve tourists and spectators headed for the Mandalika MotoGP in March.

"We have specifically prepared I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali to cater to the flight surge," the ministry's director general of air transport, Novie Riyanto, said at an online press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The facilities at Lombok International Airport have been prepared to cater to the expected surge in the number of flights and passengers during the MotoGP championship, he added.

The Lombok Airport, which is the closest airport to the Mandalika Circuit, can accommodate up to seven wide-body aircraft and eight narrow-body aircraft on its apron, has a runway that can accommodate up to 18 flights an hour, and is equipped with a passenger terminal that can serve up to 3,250 passengers an hour, he informed.

Riyanto confirmed that the authority is ready to redirect some flights to Bali Airport if passengers and flights in Lombok Airport near its peak capacity.

"Bali Airport is ready to receive spillover flights from Lombok Airport if the airport capacity nears its peak," Riyanto stated.

Related news: Lombok airport starts welcoming MotoGP participants: AP I

Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport has 62 aircraft aprons, a runway that can serve up to 32 aircraft movements per hour, and two terminals: a domestic terminal that can serve up to 3,706 passengers an hour and an international terminal that can serve up to 13,534 passengers an hour, he noted.

The ministry has also prepared a special scheme to manage tourists' mobility from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, the director general said.

Flights carrying Mandalika MotoGP spectators will stop over at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport or I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport before continuing to Lombok International Airport, he informed.

Meanwhile, MotoGP crews, officials, and cargo flights will be allowed to fly direct to Lombok International Airport, he added.

"We will have thousands of MotoGP crews and officials who would board direct flights to Lombok from Europe or Asia. We have prepared this scheme to minimize potential mobility issues during the event," Riyanto said.
Related news: Jokowi reviews Lombok Airport's readiness ahead of MotoGP 2022
Related news: Angkasa Pura I supports 2022 MotoGP event


Translator: Adimas Raditya FP, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2022