It’s happening again! All flights to and from Bali, the famous Indonesian resort island will be cancelled after the Mount Agung volcano became active again. The I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS), Denpasar has been shut after it was reported that the volcano was spewing out ash and flames.
Source: The Star
According to The Star, the airport was shut on Friday (June 29) and will remain close until 7pm local time. Mount Agung had settled down from its last active period in late 2017 but it looks like it has woken up again. Apparently, the volcano erupted and sent an ash column of 2,500 metres into the air and reddish flames were spotted in the crater, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.
This is not the first time that the airport has been closed due to Mount Agung and this time, 48 flights had been cancelled, affecting 8,334 passengers, including 38 international flights and 10 domestic flights. However, the alert level for the volcano has not been raised and authorities are still monitoring Mount Agung, which is located in northeastern Bali.
Source: NST
Source: CNA
Among some of the airlines affected include AirAsia, Jet Star, Qantas and Virgin, and passengers who are stranded there are encouraged to update their contact details to ensure that they are notified of any updates to their flights. They can also contact their respective airlines to reschedule their flights or ask for a refund, depending on the options given.
This move to shut down the airport is necessary as the authorities do not want any airplane flying through volcanic ash, which could be detrimental. Volcanic ash can damage aircraft engines, clog fuel and cooling systems, and affect visibility. Mount Agung was spotted erupting on Thursday (June 28) and it was predicted that the ash would reach the airport on Friday.
Stay safe, people in Bali!
Also read: AirAsia and MAS Cancel Flights to Bali After ‘Red Alert’ Issued for Mt Agung Eruption
