Aeroflot Expected To Provide Direct Flights To Bali From September

Aeroflot has requested permission to arrange direct flights to and from the island of Bali, starting from September 2024, the airline has stated. The airline is now awaiting the Indonesian aviation authorities’ decision, however this is expected to be granted. Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday in Moscow that Indonesia is positive about the launch of direct flights from Russia to Bali. Subiaanto said that “We believe that Aeroflot will be able to perform direct flights to Bali. We also support possible direct flights operated by both Aeroflot and other Russian airlines.”

Bali is a popular tourism destination in Indonesia and is somewhat unique in being Hindu in religion as opposed to Indonesia’s largely Muslim population. It possesses both beautiful beaches and spectacular inland volcanic scenery. It can be compared to a more lush, Asian tropical version of Sicily. 80% of all Russian visitors to Indonesia visit the island, with over 155,000 Russian tourists to Bali in 2023. Russians are increasingly opting for Asian vacations in the wake of difficulties obtaining visas for Europe. It is also now not possible to fly directly from Russia to the EU, making such visits both lengthy and expensive.

Flights by Russian airlines overseas were also restricted after the introduction of Western sanctions in 2022, including the risk of the seizure of Russian aircraft in the UK, EU and United States. Such risks are neutralized by the buyout and re-registration of planes from the foreign register to the Russian register, while most other countries have decided not to follow Western restrictions or the confiscation of Russian property. According to Aeroflot’s presentation, 185 of the 271 Boeing and Airbus planes possessed by the group have been “cleared” of foreign registration.

Aeroflot said that the application for direct flights “was preceded by coordinated work and the joint efforts of Aeroflot, the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Russian Transport Ministry, the Indonesian embassy in Russia, and the Russia-Indonesia Business Council.”

Other popular Asian destinations for Russian tourists are Sri Lanka, Phuket (Thailand), Goa (India) and Da Nang in Vietnam.