Travel to and from the Indonesian island of Bali faced major disruption after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, one of the country’s most active volcanoes, erupted on Tuesday. The eruption sent a massive ash column soaring over 11 kilometers into the sky, prompting Indonesia’s volcanology agency to raise the alert status to its highest level.
Located on Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara province, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted at approximately 5:35 p.m. local time, forcing aviation authorities to cancel or delay over two dozen international and domestic flights. The situation worsened on Wednesday morning when the volcano erupted again, spewing additional ash up to one kilometer high.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation confirmed that at least 26 flights were affected, disrupting travel plans for more than 14,000 passengers. Among the disrupted services were flights connecting Bali to major cities in India, Singapore, and Australia. Data from Bali’s Denpasar Airport indicated that at least 14 international flights were impacted, including several operated by Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Jetstar, and AirAsia.
Singapore Airlines and its low-cost subsidiary Scoot suspended services to Bali and the nearby island of Lombok. Jetstar, the Australian budget carrier, cancelled multiple morning flights from Australia to Bali and warned of delays throughout the day. AirAsia Malaysia and AirAsia Indonesia also cancelled or rescheduled a number of flights to and from Bali, Lombok, and Labuan Bajo.
Jetstar, in a travel update issued around midday, stated that forecasts suggest the ash cloud is likely to disperse by later in the evening, offering a possible window for resuming regular operations.
The impact extended beyond Bali, with the Indonesian government ordering the temporary closure of three airports in East Nusa Tenggara province, including Fransiskus Xaverius Seda Airport in Maumere. The closures will remain in effect through Thursday as authorities prioritize passenger safety.
Adding to the disruption, an Air India flight operating from Delhi to Bali on June 18 was forced to return mid-route due to volcanic activity near Bali’s airport. The airline confirmed that flight AI2145 returned safely to Delhi and all passengers were safely disembarked. In a statement, Air India said, “Air India flight AI2145 on June 18 from Delhi to Bali was advised to air return to Delhi due to reports of volcanic eruption near the destination airport Bali, in the interest of safety.”
The airline has provided hotel accommodation for affected passengers and is offering full refunds or complimentary rescheduling as compensation for the disruption.
Indonesia, situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, is home to over 120 active volcanoes, and volcanic eruptions periodically disrupt air travel in the region. The latest eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki highlights the ongoing challenges posed by natural hazards in this geologically volatile part of the world.
Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport issued an advisory noting that international flights to and from Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney, Auckland, Singapore, Shanghai, and New Delhi may experience further disruption. Domestic routes to Labuan Bajo and Semarang have also been affected. The airport cautioned that flight operations may remain impacted for up to 48 hours, and passengers are strongly advised to check with their airlines and monitor real-time travel updates before departure.
