Kiwis stranded as volcano forces closure of Bali airport
Indonesian authorities raised the alert for a rumbling volcano to the highest level on Monday and closed the international airport on the tourist island of Bali, stranding thousands of travelers.
All flights to and from Bail have been cancelled as Mt Agung continues to spill ash and smoke, leaving hundreds of New Zealanders in the lurch.
Denpasar Airport closed on Monday after the eruption was raised to the highest level and people within 10km of the volcano were evacuated.
Flight Centre has reported that around 1000 of its customers are either in Bali or travelling to the island.
Jetstar has advised passengers that all flights are cancelled while Air New Zealand are not currently operating services to and from Bali.
Authorities have raised the volcano alert to the highest level, and ordered people within 10km to leave.
Mount Agung has been hurling ash thousands of meters into the atmosphere since Saturday, which had already forced the small international airport on the neighboring island of Lombok to close as the plumes drifted east.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said Bali's international airport, where most flights had been continuing, was closed for 24 hours. It said authorities would consider reopening it Tuesday after evaluating the situation.
Jetstar has cancelled all flights in and out of Bali due to the ash cloud around the Mount Agung volcano.
"While these disruptions are frustrating, we will always put safety before schedule," the carrier said in a statement.
Virgin Australia has also cancelled all flights in and out of Bali.
Currently all flights to Bali are diverting because the ash cloud from #MountAgung has reached Denpasar Airport pic.twitter.com/eHXjrwpoPd
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) November 26, 2017
Indonesian and regional authorities had already heightened flight warnings around Mount Agung on Sunday as the volcano's eruptions sent a plume of volcanic ash and steam more than 6,000 metres into the skies above the popular holiday island.
The Monday cancellations come after dozens of flights to and from Bali were scrapped on Sunday after ash from the volcano covered roads, cars and buildings.
Jetstar will next update passengers around 7pm AEDT upon the receipt of further advice from the Bureau of Meteorology's Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre.
Sean Berenson, Flight Centre NZ general manager product, said if cancellations continue there will be thousands of Kiwis affected.
Flight Centre currently has around 1,000 customers in Bali at the moment or due to travel over the next couple of weeks.
"It is important customers do not assume flights will be cancelled; Kiwis due to travel should speak with their travel expert asap so that they can check the status of their flight or contact the carrier to confirm," Berenson said.
Travellers are being urged to contact Flight Centre or a travel expert as soon as possible to get the latest advice on their individual itineraries and travel insurance policies.
"We are advising any of our customers currently in the area, or due to visit Bali, to register with Safe Travel in order to keep updated on the most recent information," Berenson said.
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Villagers carry their belongings during an evacuation following the eruption of Mount Agung, seen in the background, in Karangasem, Indonesia. Photo / AP
Volcanic ash poses a potentially deadly threat to aircraft and passengers.
Ash up to half a centimeter (less than half an inch) thick has settled on villages around the volcano and soldiers and police distributed masks on the weekend.
The volcano's last major eruption in 1963 killed about 1,100 people.
Video showed passengers on the tarmac at Bali's airport checking their phones and chatting. Bali is Indonesia's top tourist destination, with its gentle Hindu culture, surf beaches and lush green interior attracting about 5 million visitors a year.
Indonesia sits on the "Pacific Ring of Fire" and has more than 120 active volcanoes.
Yunus Suprayogi, general manager of Bali airport operator Angkasa Pura I, said food and entertainment would be provided as well as extra bus services if conditions changed and passenger numbers increased.
The airport would also "make it easier" for passengers to seek refunds and make other arrangements, he said, while noting that airlines had their own rules.
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Mount Agung volcano erupts in Karangasem, Bali island, Indonesia. Photo / AP
"The activity of Mount Agung has entered the magmatic eruption phase. It is still spewing ash at the moment but we need to monitor and be cautious over the possibility of a strong, explosive eruption," said Gede Suantika, an official at the volcanology and geological disaster mitigation agency.
Bali, famous for its surf, beaches and temples, attracted nearly 5 million visitors last year but business has slumped in areas around the volcano since September when Agung's volcanic tremors began to increase.
Agung rises majestically over eastern Bali at a height of just over 3,000 metres. When it last erupted in 1963 it killed more than 1,000 people and razed several villages.
Australia's Bureau of Meteorology's Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VACC) in Darwin issued maps showing an ash cloud heading southeast over the neighbouring island of Lombok, away from Bali's capital, Denpasar, where the main international airport is located.
Indonesia also upgraded its Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) to red, its highest warning, and said the ash-cloud top could reach 19,654 feet (6,142 metres) or higher.
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A view of the Mount Agung volcano erupting, in Karangasem, Bali island, Indonesia. Photo / AP
