Bali welcomes back 1st flight from China as COVID rules ease

A direct flight from China landed in Indonesia’s resort island of Bali for the first time in nearly three years on Sunday after the route was suspended due to the pandemic. At least 210 people were on board the chartered plane operated by Indonesia’s Lion Air from Shenzhen in China’s southern Guangdong province. Some Chinese tourists who arrived at the airport in Bali said they were glad to have the chance to travel internationally again after China ended its strict COVID-19 restrictions.
The flight followed the Chinese government’s decision to lift travel restrictions announced on January 8 and it coincided with the start of the Lunar New Year, which was being marked Sunday.
According to a statement from Danang Mandala Prihantoro, a spokesperson for Lion Air, the Shenzhen-to-Bali route will operate once a week during its initial phase, a.