Russian Airline Aeroflot to Relaunch Direct Flights from Moscow to Bali in September

The Russian airline Aeroflot has announced that it will resume its direct flights from Russia to Indonesia, connecting the capital city Moscow to Bali. The news came after President-elect Prabowo Subianto met with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month and discussed the possibility of restoring direct flights between the two countries.

Moscow‒Bali Direct Flights History

Before the COVID-19 pandemic halted most flights worldwide, direct flights to Bali from Moscow were available three times a week. In August 2020, however, following the pandemic surge, all flights to Bali, including those from Russia, were closed. This occurred after Aeroflot's Rossiya Airlines started serving direct flights from Moscow to the island of Bali in October 2018.

Direct Flights from Russia to Bali in 2024

Following the meeting between Prabowo Subianto and Vladimir Putin and the signing of a decree by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to establish a Russian consulate in Denpasar in 2024, the news couldn't have come at a more ideal time.

With the growing number of Russian tourists on the island once international travel resumed after the pandemic and Western sanctions in 2022, the relaunching of flights to Ngurah Rai International Airport is hoped to boost tourism.

The efforts to resume flights to Bali were started last year by Aeroflot, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, the Embassy of Indonesia in the Russian Federation, and the Russian‒Indonesian Business Council. It wasn't until last July that Aeroflot requested slots for flights from Moscow to Bali

When Will Direct Flights to Bali Start?

Aeroflot's press service has reported that the launch of a direct flights route between Moscow and Bali, starting 17 September 2024, is expected to attract Russian tourists to Bali.

These are the schedules from Sheremetyevo Airport to Ngurah Rai International Airport and back:

To start with, Aeroflot will provide two flights per week but, from 3 October 2024, a third flight schedule will be added. The third weekly flight will leave Moscow on Thursdays and return on Fridays.

Key Details of the Aeroflot Aircraft for Direct Flights to Bali

The flights from Russia to Bali will be carrying passengers on the wide-body fleet of Airbus A350. The seat configurations will allow for more space between the seats in the Economy and Comfort Classes. Aeroflot also ensures that the Airbus A350 will have a spacious cabin, reduced noise levels, and adaptive lighting.

While all classes will have multimedia systems, the Business Class will be decorated with individual 54cm monitors. The seats fold and can turn into two-metre beds and a bar.

What Does it Mean for Tourism in Bali?

After India launched direct flights from Bengaluru to Bali with IndiGo Airlines in March, this resumption of flights from Aeroflot will be important not only to connect Moscow to Bali but also to strengthen the diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Russia.

Despite the concerns about over-tourism in Indonesia's most popular tourist destination, the government has taken some measurable steps to overcome the traffic in some key spots in Bali. The free shuttle bus in Sanur and the plans to build a subway system are the concrete steps the government will take in this respect.

The direct flights will also help Russians who have settled in Bali to gain easier access to flights home. Moreover, during the meeting in Moscow, President-elect Prabowo Subianto confirmed,

We also support the possibility of not only Aeroflot operating direct flights but also other airlines,

which opens up the opportunity for other Russian airlines to operate direct flights to Bali.