Aussie traveller slams 'nightmare' detail at Bali airport: 'Nothing you can do'

Aussies touching down in Bali were pleased to see a new addition at Denpasar Airport earlier this year, with new electronic passport scanners guaranteed to speed up the arrival process. But it's the leaving that's still a problem as one traveller has pointed out, saying many passengers almost "missed their flights" thanks to a "huge line and chaos" — which many tourists aren't aware of.

Dasha Daley was leaving the holiday island after two and a half weeks, but long lines caused a two-hour delay at immigration leaving many people "super annoyed".

"When you go into Bali you can skip queues if you get the visa and pay for tourist levy," Daley told Yahoo News Australia. But there's no such option when leaving, she said.

Speaking to other travellers, she realised few people knew there'd be an immigration line when departing the country, as it's usually just on arrival. "Everyone was super annoyed and people barely made their flights and I’m pretty sure some missed theirs," she said.

Videos shows 'nightmare' at Bali's Denpasar Aiprort

Sharing a snapshot of the ordeal on TikTok, the Perth-based model said: "If you guys think travelling into Bali airport is bad, try getting out of Bali airport.

"People are missing their flights because we had to line up two hours of immigration, and there's literally nothing you can do about it. It's such a nightmare here," she said, offering a glance of what she, and others, had to contend with.

The video shows hundreds of people queueing after making their way through security. The travellers, many desperate to get home, didn't appear to be moving at all.

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Aussies flock to Bali in droves

As of March 2024, Australia was the largest feeder market for direct foreign tourist arrivals to Bali, with over one million Aussies said to visit each year, according to Statista. School holidays are a particularly busy time with families heading abroad during the break, so long lines and busy airports are expected — but Dasha said she ensured she avoided this period.

"I made sure I went when we don’t have school holidays in Australia, when it’s even busier," she told Yahoo. "But I guess it’s also the time when Aussies like to escape winter — and it's our most popular holiday destination."

While she couldn't be certain, the Perth model guessed most of the people waiting in line "were a mix of Europeans and Aussies".

When she eventually boarded her Jetstar flight though, things didn't get any better, previously telling Yahoo she was refused water by airline staff — a move branded 'ridiculous' and 'infuriating' by fellow Australians.

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