Bali Airport Fully Reopens Operations Following Significant Volcanic Eruption in Eastern Indonesia

Flight operations to and from Bali airport in Indonesia resumed normal services on Thursday (June 19) after a week marked by significant disruptions due to the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, according to local aviation authorities. The volcano, situated in East Nusa Tenggara province, erupted on June 17, releasing an ash plume that reached heights of 11 kilometers. This event led to the cancellation and delay of many flights, with the greatest impact felt on Wednesday.

A total of 87 flights — comprising 66 international and 21 domestic services — were affected, as confirmed by operators at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport. Routes impacted included connections to Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

Operations returned to normal on Thursday, with outbound flights from Bali running as scheduled. “So far, all operations have been smooth, including both departures and arrivals,” stated Gede Eka Sandi Asmadi, an airport representative, in a report by Reuters.
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Asmadi mentioned that airlines like Malaysia Airlines, Virgin Australia, JetStar, and Singapore Airlines had reinstated their services. Flights to China were also operating as planned. Both Qantas and its low-cost affiliate JetStar announced that their services were back to normal on Thursday. Additionally, AirAsia confirmed that flights between Bali, Lombok, and Labuan Bajo, which had been canceled earlier, were also back in operation.

Two airports in East Nusa Tenggara province reopened on Thursday after being closed the previous day due to volcanic ash. However, authorities have prolonged the closure of Fransiskus Xaverius Seda Airport in Maumere until at least Friday, citing ongoing dangers from the remaining ash in the atmosphere, according to the airport’s operator via social media.

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Emergency teams have evacuated numerous residents from three villages located closest to Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, as reported by the regional disaster mitigation agency.

The country’s volcanology agency indicated that the volcano has erupted 427 times this year alone. Tuesday’s eruption represented the most notable activity since November of the prior year, when several eruptions resulted in at least nine fatalities.