Bali Governor Reviews Ngurah Rai Airport Service Improvements, Baggage Wait Times Significantly Reduced
Bali Governor Wayan Koster chaired a coordination meeting to evaluate service improvements at Ngurah Rai International Airport. Following complaints in mid-2025 about long baggage waits and immigration queues, reforms have reportedly led to significantly faster baggage claim and immigration processing times.
Bali Governor Wayan Koster chaired a coordination meeting on August 15 to evaluate the effectiveness of service improvements at Ngurah Rai International Airport. The meeting was a continuation of previous sessions held on August 23 and December 28, 2025.
The review stemmed from a wave of passenger complaints in mid-2025, when travelers reported baggage wait times exceeding one hour, long immigration queues, and slow customs processing. In response, the Bali provincial government instructed a full overhaul of airport services, including cutting baggage wait times to 30-45 minutes, speeding up immigration and customs lanes, and replacing aging conveyor belts. Officials also called for renovated toilets, additional seating for passengers waiting for luggage, updated customs office furniture, and improvements to communication systems, cleanliness, and lighting.
According to the latest report from August 15, baggage wait times for medium and small aircraft have been reduced to 13-30 minutes, while wide-body aircraft with full loads now average 18-40 minutes. Immigration processing has also sped up thanks to Auto Gate machines and e-passport use, though exceptions remain for travelers from certain countries, such as India, who use regular passports. Physical facilities across the airport have reportedly become cleaner, with ongoing programs to replace old toilets, add furniture, and increase staffing.
Governor Koster emphasized that Ngurah Rai Airport plays a vital role as Indonesia's main gateway and international showcase. He noted that in 2025 the airport served approximately 7.05 million foreign touristsāabout 45.8% of Indonesia's total 15.39 million foreign visitorsāalong with more than 9 million domestic travelers, underscoring the need to maintain strict service standards. The provincial government said it will continue regular coordination to ensure the airport meets, and where possible exceeds, world-class operational standards.
Things to Consider
Travelers using Ngurah Rai Airport may experience shorter baggage claim times than before, but it is still wise to allow some buffer time in your schedule for arrival procedures. Those with e-passports can use Auto Gate machines to speed through immigration, while travelers with regular passports should still expect manual processing and should build extra time into connecting flight schedules accordingly.
Source: ANTARA News Bali