Bali eruption: What you need to know
There are plenty of reports coming out of Bali about flights, volcanoes, and delays. Maybe too many.
So we’ve done the research and found out exactly what is happening right now following the Mount Agung eruption.
According to ABC News, more than 90,000 passengers have been affected by the volcanic eruption.
At present, there are 44,000 people in the shelters and the exclusion zone stands at 10 kilometres.
Here’s everything we can find about the eruption and its impact on travellers so far:
Denpasar Airport
Denpasar Airport has reopened having shuttered two days ago.
Commenting on the reopening, AirNav Indonesia has released the following statement:
I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport returns to normal operation from Wednesday, November 29, 2017, at 14:28 WITA.
Flights from and to Denpasar Bali can already be served. Nevertheless, he continued, it still closely monitors all the developments related to the activities of Mount Agung.
It is our duty AirNav Indonesia to escort the safety of flights in the airspace of Indonesia for that we seek maximum service through the readiness of facilities and human resources related to the reopening of Airport I Gusti Ngurah Rai today.
In addition, we also opened crisis centers in Jakarta and in Denpasar to continue to monitor all 24-hour developments with regulators and all relevant stakeholders.
We urge the public to continue to monitor the development of information because we will deliver all the developments that occur to the public.
What airlines doing
The biggest international carriers to Bali have come forward to offer extra flights to stranded travellers.
Qantas, Virgin, AirAsia and Jetstar are each launched ‘rescue’ flights to bring the 4000 tourists home.
Qantas and Jetstar will be taking advantage of the temporary cloud clearing from Mount Agung eruption, which, according to SBS News, has given the airlines tentative green light for ten scheduled services and six relief flights.
According to the airlines, a total of 3,800 people who are booked with Jetstar and Qantas will be able to return to Australia.
Virgin Australia has also offered to fly customers home, subject to a review of conditions in the morning.
Jetstar will be running four extra flights carrying about 1,000 stranded passengers from Bali on Thursday.
Jetstar also warned flights may be cancelled at short notice because “volcanic activity and ash cloud are unpredictable”.
Meanwhile, AirAsia has offered a series of options for travellers to use if stranded on the island.
In a statement, AirAsia has said:
AirAsia wishes to update its guests on an updated service recovery options being offered to all AirAsia guests who are affected by the Mount Agung eruption in Bali.
All guests whose flights are affected will be entitled to choose one of the following service recovery options being offered:
Option 1: Move flight: Change to a new travel date on the same route within 30 calendar days from original flight date without additional cost and subject to seat availability.
Option 2: Credit Account: Retain the value of fare in a credit account for future travel with AirAsia. The online Credit Account to be redeemed within 90 calendar days from the date of issue, for travel date of your choice; OR
Option 3: Full Refund: Obtain a full refund in the amount equivalent to your booking.
Dangers ahead
The unpredictability of Mount Agung has most nervous about what the future holds, as the volcano continues to spew out ash and send hot rocks flying more than 4kms away from its crater.
Layers of ash coated cars, roofs, and roads in an area southeast of the crater and according to different news sites, children have been wearing to school.
Speaking to The Australian, Indonesian Volcanology and Hazard Mitigation Centre senior volcanologist Gede Suantika has said the behaviour of the volcano echoes that of its previous major eruption in 1963 which claimed the lives of thousands of people.
“Pressure is building and it is hitting resistance and obstruction so the likelihood of an explosive eruption rather than a lava spillover is high,” he told The Oz.
“From what we have seen, the volcano is spewing rocks to between one to four km from the crater.”
“During the night we can see an orange glow coming from the rocks because they are so hot.”
“Flights to and from Bali will still be affected because there are still ash particles above the airport as the wind blows southwest,” he added.
If you have friends or family in Bali, or are currently stranded on the island, contact airlines for assistance and updates.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
airasia bali danger mount agung qantas rescue virgin volcanoLatest News
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