Flights at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport are gradually returning to normal after mass cancellations caused by the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki earlier this week.
On Wednesday, 115 flights were grounded as volcanic ash disrupted air traffic, with Australia-bound routes bearing the heaviest hit in flight operations.
By Thursday, the number of canceled flights had dropped to 52.
Key Australian carriers such as Qantas, Virgin, and Jetstar resumed operations Thursday, with flights to major cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth reinstated, according to Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
The normalization is evident in the uptick in passenger numbers, which rose from 35,865 on Wednesday to 54,320 on Thursday.
As of early Friday, 399 flights were scheduled to depart or arrive, with no cancellations reported.
The airport remained operational throughout the eruption, with PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia, the airport’s operator, commending all stakeholders for maintaining high service standards during the disruption.
Days of Flight Disruptions as Volcanic Eruption Paralyzed Air Travel
The return to normalcy follows days of severe disruptions caused by the Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki eruption.
Starting on November 4, the volcano on Flores Island began spewing towering columns of ash, killing nine people and prompting evacuations. By Tuesday, ash plumes had reached 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) high, leading authorities to expand the danger zone around the crater.
These conditions crippled air travel across Indonesia. Prompted by the unexpected event, thousands of travelers were stranded at airports in Indonesia, struggling to find alternatives.
“The resumption of these routes, especially to Australia, signals a gradual normalization of our airport operations,” said Syaugi on Friday.
