Several airlines around Asia have canceled flights to and from Bali due to dangerous volcanic ash caused by the eruption of nearby Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, leaving travelers stranded at airports in Australia and Indonesia.
According to the European Commision Emergency Response Coordination Centre, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a volcano on Flores Island in Indonesia, has erupted a couple of times since November 3, 2024. This has resulted in nine deaths and forced the evacuation of 11,445 people living close to the crater. The volcano is in East Nusa Tenggara province, roughly 500 kilometers from Bali.
The European Commision ERCC added that the volcanic activity in the country, especially in East Flores regency, East Nusa Tenggara province, is ongoing. As of November 12, 2024, the alert level for Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki’s stands at level four, indicating a serious threat.
Ash clouds greatly reduced visibility in the region, affecting flight routes and creating unsafe travel conditions. As a result, Qantas, Jetstar, AirAsia, and Virgin Australia have all halted flights for safety, local media outlet ACD reported on November 13, 2024.
On November 13, 2024, Qantas issued a flight policy for passengers with valid tickets for flights to and from Denpasar Airport (DPS) in the Bali area between November 13 and November 22, 2024.
Additionally, on November 13, 2024, Jetstar announced in a statement that all Jetstar Asia flights to and from DPS Airport have been canceled or delayed until November 14, 2024, 09:00 local time.
“Due to volcanic ash caused by the Mount Lewotobi eruption in Indonesia, it is currently not safe to operate flights to and from Bali,” the carrier said. “This is an evolving situation, and we recommend passengers check their flight status before coming to the airport.”
AirAsia was also impacted by volcanic ash from the eruption. The carrier announced that some flights operated by AirAsia Malaysia (AK), AirAsia Thailand (FD), AirAsia Indonesia (QZ), AirAsia X Malaysia (D7) to and from Bali, Lombok and Labuan Bajo have been canceled or rescheduled since November 4, 2024.
Virgin Australia also announced “necessary adjustments to its flight schedule” following the eruption. All Virgin Australia flights in and out of Denpasar have been canceled for November 13, 2024. According to the carrier, as of November 13, 2024, the eruption has already affected 15 flights.
Tourists informed The Associated Press that they have been stranded at DPS Airport since November 12, 2024. Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, the General Manager of DPS Airport, said that volcanic activity has disrupted flights since the eruption began. In the last four days, 84 flights were impacted, with 36 planned departures and 48 expected arrivals.