Most flights between Australia and Bali have been suspended due to an ongoing volcanic ash cloud drifting from Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, but many Denpasar flights are still operating.
Airlines including Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar grounded services on Wednesday to ensure passenger safety, and while the carriers hoped to be flying back to Bali by the end of the day, flights remain stalled.
The cancellations are expected to continue until conditions significantly improve.
In an update on Wednesday afternoon, Jetstar confirmed that all JQ flights to and from Denpasar Airport in Bali had been cancelled until at least midday on Thursday (14 November).
“We understand that this is a difficult situation for impacted customers. Safety is always our number one priority and we thank customers for their patience and understanding,” the airline stated.
“Impacted customers will be notified directly and will be provided with a range of options. Capacity on our existing scheduled services is limited and we understand that some customers may be concerned about how quickly they can rebook their flights.
“We continue to monitor the situation closely and are planning to add extra flights to get customers to their destination as soon as possible.
“We will provide an update on flights scheduled to operate after 12noon AEDT on Thursday.”
The low-cost carrier also advised passengers to not travel to the airport until checking their flight status at Jetstar.com. It is also offering flexibility for customers.
“We appreciate that some customers may no longer wish to travel on flights to and from Bali, so we are offering flexibility for customers who are booked to travel between 13 and 17 November,” its update said.
“For customers travelling after this date, we will continue to monitor the situation and update you accordingly.”
In an update on Wednesday night, Qantas said it was “closely monitoring conditions at Denpasar Airport in Bali due to volcanic ash”.
“For customers scheduled to travel Thursday 14 November, our meteorology team is closely monitoring the situation,” it stated.
“If there’s any impact to your scheduled flight, we’ll provide an update to the email address and phone number in your booking by 10am on Thursday 14 November (AEDT).”
For customers travelling between Friday 15 and Friday 22 November, QF will continue to provide updates on its website.
“We’re urging customers to reconsider all non-essential travel to Denpasar, up to Friday 22 November and have additional flexibility for those who no longer wish to travel,” it added.
In a Wednesday afternoon statement, Virgin Australia said it was “proactively reaching out to guests whose flights have been cancelled to offer an alternative flight option”.
“We are also communicating to guests booked to travel to and from Bali between Thursday (14 November) and Saturday (16 November) encouraging them to stay updated on the latest flight information available via our website,” it said.
“We sincerely regret any disruption this may cause and assure our guests that our team is working diligently to rebook all impacted guests to their destinations as safely and promptly as possible.
“Safety is always our highest priority, and our meteorology team is closely monitoring the situation.”
While the vast majority of Bali flights were grounded on Wednesday, a few airlines continued to operate services into and out of Denpasar into the evening, according to the airport’s website.
Among these carriers were Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Malindo Air and Garuda Indonesia, which operated a flight (GA714) to Sydney late Wednesday evening.
Officials have advised that the ash cloud poses a risk to aircraft engines, which “could lead to safety issues if flights proceed”, AAP reported.
Volcanic ash clouds can reduce visibility and damage aircraft engines due to their abrasive particles, which may cause severe mechanical issues if ingested. As a result, flights are typically grounded as a precautionary measure whenever ash clouds are present in active airspace.
Advice for travel professionals
Travel agents and industry professionals should remain in close contact with affected airlines to stay updated on the latest changes to Bali flight schedules.
This will ensure they have the necessary information to support clients seeking rebooking options or further guidance on their travel plans.
For now, agents and travellers alike are advised to keep an eye on both airline alerts and government travel advisories for further developments.
What travellers can learn from this
With unexpected natural events impacting travel plans, the situation highlights the importance of having adequate travel insurance. Adrian Taylor, General Manager of General Insurance at Compare the Market, says the ash cloud underscores why travellers need to secure comprehensive travel cover early on.
“As soon as you book your holiday, no matter the destination, purchasing travel insurance that covers natural disasters and weather emergencies is vital,” Taylor said.
“Not all travel insurance policies are equal. With some insurers, you may need to add cover for natural disasters as an extra or splash a bit more cash for a top-level policy where it’s already an inclusion.”
Key points from Compare the Market:
- Some travel insurance policies require additional cover for natural disasters to be included.
- Natural disasters can quickly become a ‘known event’ to insurers, making it essential to secure cover as soon as travel is booked.
- Insurers may not cover events that are not considered unforeseen or unexpected.
Taylor further explained that “unless you can cover these expenses yourself—which can often be to the tune of hundreds or thousands of dollars—travel insurance can become an invaluable asset.”
He also cautioned that limits may apply to the amount claimable in a natural disaster, meaning travellers should carefully review their policy.
