BADUNG, DEWATA.NEWS – Bali’s air connectivity to East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) has expanded further with the launch of a new Batik Air route linking Denpasar and Tambolaka, Sumba. The service officially began operating on Friday (9/1/2026) from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
The inaugural Denpasar (DPS)–Tambolaka (TMC) flight departed at 09:40 WITA under flight number ID 6324, operated by an Airbus A320 and carrying 152 passengers. The return service, flight ID 6325, arrived back in Bali at 10:55 WITA with 44 passengers on board. The route is scheduled to operate daily.
General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Nugroho Jati, welcomed the addition of the new route, describing it as a step forward in improving inter-regional connectivity, particularly with eastern Indonesia.
“The addition of the Batik Air Denpasar–Tambolaka route reflects a shared commitment to strengthening connectivity between regions, especially East Nusa Tenggara. We hope this route will encourage tourist flows to both Sumba and Bali, while reinforcing Ngurah Rai Airport’s role as a domestic and international aviation hub,” Jati said.
Previously, direct flights on the Tambolaka route were served by Wings Air, Sriwijaya Air, and NAM Air. With Batik Air now operating the route, a total of four airlines are providing services, with an average of six flights per day.
Throughout 2025, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport recorded 163,288 passengers traveling to and from Tambolaka. The increased flight frequency is seen as an indication of growing demand for accessibility to Sumba and is expected to support wider connectivity to other destinations across NTT.
Jati emphasized that the airport is fully prepared to support the new service by ensuring facility readiness, service quality, and aviation safety and security standards.
“This new route reflects the airport’s commitment to offering more flight options for passengers. We continue to focus on delivering the best possible service, including supporting the opening of routes that hold strategic value for national connectivity,” he added.
Currently, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport serves 21 domestic routes operated by 11 airlines. From January to November 2025, the airport handled a total of 22,118,214 passengers, consisting of 13,465,786 international passengers and 8,141,278 domestic travelers.