Qatar Airways has resumed its flights to Denpasar-Bali, paving the way to another alternative to for a direct international flight to the island which is the requirement for the new arrival guidelines.
So far ever since Bali reopened the only way for international visitors to arrive on the island was by way of Singapore using Singapore Airlines but now travelers have another option.
While Bali has continued to be served by several domestic airlines from Jakarta but transiting in Jakarta for purposes of arrival in Bali where a Visa on Arrival is in place is not allowed right now.
This flight will operate four times a week (Sunday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday), leaving Doha at 2:05am and arriving in Denpasar at 4:55pm.
The return flight leaves Denpasar at 1:05am (horrible time), arriving Doha at 5:35am which is in time for the morning departure bank allowing for most connections.
These are the timetables for Qatar Airways Bali connection:
A depature at 1:05am is pretty much the worst possible option in Bali. You have to book an entire extra night so you can get to the airport rested at 11pm. There have traditionally been a couple of these late night departures and I’ve never been a fan.
We have previously covered Bali and Indonesia’s ongoing policy changes that have started to gain traction a month ago as countries in Asia have also opened up in fast speed.
This includes Indonesia’s general entry rule that no further quarantine and follow up test applies to qualifying travelers:
Indonesia Welcomes Visitors With Arrival Test & No Quarantine
Since March 7, 2022 foreign visitors of 43 nationalities can obtain a Visa on Arrival as long as they arrive directly into Bali (not via Jakarta or other domestic). The Visa Waiver program is currently suspended.
The Visa on Arrival for Bali is valid for 30 days and can be extended once with local immigration authorities. It can be purchased for US$35 (IDR 500,000) in the arrival hall of Denpasar Airport upon arrival.
Bali On Visa-On-Arrival Available For 20 More Countries From March 21, 2022
Bali will need a lot more foreign connections to boost their tourism numbers back to levels where it makes any noteworthy dent in the local economy.
The island was a huge moneymaker with millions of tourists each year but has been pretty much sealed for two years, devastating the local economy and tourism industry as well as the livelyhoods of those reliant on it.
Conclusion
Qatar Airways has re-established their connection to Bali’s Denpasar Airport to where they will fly on four days per week. The departure times aren’t exactly excellent as far as I’m concerned but my best guess is they’re trying to make it palatable for European connections. Although when looking at the feeder flights to/from Doha I sort of doubt if this is really the best choice that they had available. I don’t like connecting or departing in the middle of the night.
As such I’d probably still consider Singapore Airlines as first choice followed by Qatar Airways until other options are available. With THAI being in it’s current state I wonder if my favorite flight from Bangkok to Bali will be back on the schedule anytime soon. Kinda doubt it though.
