Flight Cancellations from Middle East Spur Overstay Concerns in Bali
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- The Ngurah Rai Immigration Office in Bali has heightened surveillance to prevent overstays among foreign visitors impacted by international flight cancellations due to escalating Middle East conflicts.
- Immigration officers in Bali are adding more staff and coordinating with airlines to manage stranded passengers after flight disruptions linked to Middle East tensions.
- As airspace closures in Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, and Iran affect routes from Bali, immigration authorities are urging foreigners to report potential overstay situations immediately.
The Ngurah Rai Immigration Office in Badung Regency, Bali, is taking anticipatory measures to prevent potential overstays by foreign nationals (foreigners) affected by flight disruptions resulting from the ongoing Middle East conflict.
“We continue to monitor this global development closely,” said Head of Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, Bugie Kurniawan, in Jimbaran, Badung, on Sunday.
He explained that some foreign visitors might face difficulties leaving Indonesia on schedule due to large-scale international flight cancellations.
Kurniawan urged travelers whose stay permits are nearing expiration—particularly those stranded due to emergency flight suspensions—to immediately report to the Immigration Office or the Immigration Service Post at the airport for further guidance.
Handling procedures, he added, will follow all applicable laws and regulations while considering the force majeure circumstances caused by international flight disruptions.
Immigration authorities, he emphasized, will address each case professionally and proportionally, maintaining both legal certainty and quality public service.
He also advised international travelers, especially those transiting through the Middle East, to regularly check their flight status via official airline applications and coordinate with their carriers before heading to the airport.
“Our top priority is ensuring that immigration administration processes for passengers continue to run smoothly and according to proper procedures,” he stated.
To anticipate increased passenger queues, Ngurah Rai Immigration has reinforced staffing per shift—from 25 officers to 30—deployed across both international arrival and departure areas.
The office also remains in close coordination with airport authorities, airlines, and related agencies to continually monitor route changes, activate contingency plans, and manage affected passengers efficiently.
The escalation of Middle East tensions has led to the closure of airspace in several countries, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Iran, resulting in major disruptions to international flight schedules, including Bali routes.
As of March 1, 2026, at 1:00 a.m. WITA, five major flights from Bali had been affected: Etihad Airways (EY477), Qatar Airways (QR963), Emirates (EK369), Qatar Airways (QR961), and Emirates (EK399).
Indonesianpost.com | Antara
