Several flights in and out of Bali have been disrupted following volcanic eruption in Indonesia.
Lewotobi, a twin volcano located in the south-eastern area of the island of Flores, began spewing ash late Thursday, local time.
The pollution forced six Jetstar flights to be grounded Friday morning, with the ash cloud unsafe to fly through.
The airline said it was monitoring the situation, but flights were expected to continue as normal Friday afternoon as conditions improved.
“Jetstar will resume normal operations between Australia and Denpasar this afternoon as conditions have improved following an earlier eruption of Mount Lewotobi in Indonesia,” the airline said in a statement.
“Safety is always our number one priority, and our teams will continue to monitor the situation closely and contact customers directly by SMS and email if there is any further impact to our flights.”
Six Jetstar flights were grounded as a result of the eruption. (ABC News: John Gunn)
Two Virgin Australia flights scheduled to depart Friday morning were also shifted to the afternoon.
The airline confirmed some delays to its Bali services were expected as a result.
“Safety is our top priority and based on the current forecast we expect some delays to Bali services today,” a Virgin Australia spokesperson said in a statement.
Could there be more flight disruptions?
It’s possible.
Jetstar said it was an “evolving situation”.
“Virgin Australia’s meteorologists are closely monitoring ash cloud movement in Indonesia following the eruption of Mount Lewotobi overnight,” a spokesperson said.
Passengers have been told to check their flight status online.
How can I check my flight’s status?
If you are due to fly to Indonesia in coming days, it’s recommended you check your flight’s status before heading to the airport.
Here’s where you can find the information for each airline:
Where is Mount Lewotobi?
The twin volcanoes are on the island of Flores, about 500 kilometres east of Bali.
