Sixteen flights cancelled at Bali airport due to Mt. Lewotobi eruption

Badung, Bali (ANTARA) - I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali reported the cancellation of 16 international flights in a single day following the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in East Flores District, East Nusa Tenggara.

"As of Friday (March 21) at 16:00 local time, a total of 16 international flights were canceled by airlines due to flight safety and security considerations," General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Ahmad Syaugi Shahab stated on Friday.

According to Shahab, the cancellations included eight departing and eight arriving international flights.

Among the affected routes were Australian routes, including one departure and arrival each for Darwin, Perth, Sydney, and Brisbane and two departures and arrivals for Melbourne.

The eruption also led to the cancellation of a departure and arrival route for both Kuala Lumpur and Shanghai.

"All flights on the Australian route that were canceled were operated by Jetstar, while the Kuala Lumpur route was operated by Air Asia X and Shanghai by Juneyao Airlines," Shahab explained.

He noted that the volcanic eruption had begun affecting airport operations since Friday morning from 8:45 a.m. local time, although the airport's airspace in South Bali remained safe.

The general manager explained that in preparation for the impact of the spread of volcanic ash on operations, airport authorities conducted an aerodrome observation using a paper test with negative results, indicating no volcanic ash was found in the airport area.

"As of this Friday, the airspace at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport has not been affected by volcanic ash, and the airport is operating normally," he stated.

The airport confirmed having an Airport Disaster Management Plan (ADMP) in the form of a document related to airport handling during a natural emergency.

A joint post in the Airport Operation Control Center (AOCC) room has also been activated to monitor the current situation with all relevant stakeholders.

Shahab said passengers on affected routes are directed to contact their respective airlines directly.

"The airlines have notified passengers via email and given passengers the option of a refund, rescheduling, or rerouting," he remarked.