Major Airlines Suspend Flights to Bali in Wake of Volcanic Eruption
The eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano earlier this month led to mass evacuations.
Several major airlines have suspended flights to and from Bali, Indonesia, following safety concerns arising from the recent eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano. The eruption resulted in dangerous ash clouds being released into the atmosphere.
The exact number of affected passengers due to these flight cancellations was not immediately clear, but reports indicate that thousands were left stranded.
Jetstar announced the suspension of all flights to and from Denpasar, Bali’s capital city, until at least noon on Nov. 14 due to safety concerns related to the ash clouds.
Impacted customers will be directly notified by Jetstar and offered a variety of options to manage the situation.
Virgin also adjusted its flight schedule following the volcanic eruption and canceled Australia flights to and from Denpasar on Nov. 13. Flights from Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney were affected.
Virgin is actively contacting guests with canceled flights to offer alternative options. Customers booked to travel to Bali between Nov. 14 and Nov. 16 are being kept informed about the latest flight updates.
Qantas reported disruptions to flights scheduled for Nov. 12 and Nov. 13 to and from Denpasar due to the ash clouds, with impacted customers receiving direct notifications.
9 Dead After Volcanic Eruption
Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki, situated on the remote island of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara province, approximately 500 miles away from Bali, erupted on Nov. 3. The eruption covered nearby areas in thick volcanic ash.
Since then, the volcano has erupted multiple times, including on Nov. 12, emitting ash clouds up to 32,808 feet high and prompting thousands of evacuations. Authorities have established a danger zone spanning 5.5 miles.
The local government has declared a state of emergency for nearly two months.
Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki is one of the two stratovolcanoes in the East Flores district of East Nusa Tenggara province, locally known as the husband-and-wife mountains.
It is part of Indonesia’s 120 active volcanoes, located within the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” a seismic belt around the Pacific Ocean.
Previously, Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport reported the cancellation of 80 flights from Nov. 4 to Nov. 12, including flights from Singapore, Hong Kong, and several Australian cities, due to the volcano eruption.
The latest flight cancellations likely bring the total number of affected flights to over 100.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
