TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The eruption of Mount Lewotobi in East Nusa Tenggara has led to the cancellation of 22 international flight routes at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali.

Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, confirmed that flight cancellations began on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, after the volcano's renewed eruption. Initially, only domestic flights were affected, but the impact has since extended to international routes.

“On Tuesday, 12 domestic flights were affected, with 7 departures and 5 arrivals. Internationally, 22 flights were affected, including 12 departures and 10 arrivals,” Syaugi said in Denpasar, Bali, on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, as reported by Antara.

Several international routes to and from Ngurah Rai Airport have been canceled, including those to Australian cities like Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Brisbane, as well as to Incheon, South Korea. Airlines such as Jetstar Airways and Qantas Airways have been impacted by these disruptions.

Syaugi mentioned that due to the natural event affecting flights, airlines provide options for passengers, including refunds, rescheduling, or rerouting. The airports also set up help desks on the second floor of both the international and domestic terminals, specifically in the airline service areas.

Syaugi assured that the airspace around Ngurah Rai Airport remains unaffected by volcanic ash thus far. Aerodrome observation tests have confirmed the absence of volcanic ash in the airport area.

He mentioned that this was supported by information and volcanic ash direction predictions from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), as well as airspace observations conducted by Perum LPPNPI and pilot reports.

For domestic routes, cancellations to and from East Nusa Tenggara have been ongoing since Monday, November 4, 2024. Between November 8 and 11, a total of 46 flights were affected, comprising 30 departures and 16 arrivals.

Currently, five active airports in East Nusa Tenggara are served by Ngurah Rai Airport, namely Kuoang (KOE), Labuan Bajo (LBJ), Tambolaka (TMC), Waingapu (WGP), and Ende (ENE). Airlines operating these routes include Indonesia Air Asia, Citilink Indonesia, Garuda Indonesia, Batik Air, Wings Air, and Nam Air.

The airport has implemented its Airport Disaster Management Plan (ADMP), which outlines procedures for handling natural emergencies. “A joint post at the Airport Operation Control Center (AOCC) has also been activated to monitor the situation in coordination with relevant stakeholders,” Syaugi concluded.

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