Flights to and from Bali are facing widespread cancellations as volcanic ash clouds from Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki create dangerous conditions for air travel. The volcano, located near the Indonesian holiday island, emitted a 9 km (6.2 miles) high ash plume over the weekend—just a week after a deadly eruption claimed ten lives.
Airlines affected include Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin Australia, Cathay Pacific, IndiGo, and AirAsia, all of which have suspended flights through Thursday due to the unsafe conditions. Virgin Australia noted that passenger safety remains their top priority as their meteorology team tracks the situation closely. While Singapore Airlines and Scoot have also canceled certain flights, other flights between Singapore and Bali are still operating.
The volcanic ash is anticipated to drift towards northern Australia, as warned by Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, adding further caution to airlines operating in the region.
In addition to flight disruptions, the ash has impacted local events, including the postponement of a jazz festival in Labuan Bajo, about 600 km away from the volcano.
Indonesia, located on the highly active Pacific “Ring of Fire,” has around 130 active volcanoes. Previous eruptions, including Mount Merapi’s ash clouds in 2020, have also posed challenges to aviation in the region.
