Ash cloud delays flights between Australia and Bali

UPDATE: All flights in and out of Bali are set to resume after volcanic ash left hundreds of passengers stranded during the first week of school holidays.

Just some of the volcanic eruptions to Australia’s north that have affected air travel in recent decades. Picture: Bureau of Meterology.

ALL flights in and out of Bali are set to resume after a volcanic ash cloud left hundreds of passengers stranded during the first week of school holidays.

Virgin, Jetstar and Tigerair flights from Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney were delayed overnight after Mount Rinjani, near Lombok, began shooting ash into the atmosphere.

Jetstar confirmed early this morning it would resume flights and add extra services to deal with the backlog.

Tigerair says it will resume flights but expects three delayed services. Four Virgin Australia flights scheduled for today will also go ahead, the airline said.

Flights from Australia to Denpasar tomorrow “are expected to operate as normal subject to ongoing favourable conditions,” the airline said in a statement.

The Volcanic Ash Centre said conditions weren’t suitable for flying out of Denpasar Airport after the volcano erupted on Tuesday.

Frustrated passengers have taken to social media to attack Jetstar over its communication about flight cancellations.

Two Facebook users reported they were incorrectly told flights would remain grounded today after phoning the airline.

“On phone to jetstar now and they are telling me they are NOT flying today! we were meant to be leaving last night and now not rebooked until Saturday night!” Emma Denny posted on Jetstar’s Facebook page.

Other travellers took the delays in their stride, praising the airline for prioritising safety and joking about there being worse places to be stuck.

Travellers are advised to check their flight schedule.

“Lucky we all have travel insurance booked,” Zoe Kennedy commented on Facebook.

“My life is [sic] important to me. If my flight is cancelled due to a possible accident occurring, I will trust my carrier Jetstar, to make the right call and stay a few more days,” Facebook user Marie Peters commented.

Jetsar says customers booked on flights to or from Bali on September 27 and 28 will be able to get a credit voucher for their flights or move their flights to or from Bali within the next 28 days without paying a booking change fee or fare difference.

Flights scheduled to operate today

Virgin VA43 Brisbane to Denpasar departing at 4.30pm (local time)

Virgin VA44 Denpasar to Brisbane departing at 4pm (local time)

Virgin VA70 Denpasar to Sydney departing at 10.10pm (local time)

Virgin VA46 Denpasar to Brisbane departing at 10.10pm (local time)

Travellers have the option to change or cancel their booking. Change and cancellation fees will be waived.

Delayed services today

Tiger TT1 Melbourne-Bali due to depart 10.05am (60-minute delay).

Passengers originally booked on services delayed by the ash cloud yesterday, (TT19- Perth-Bali and TT2- Bali-Melbourne) will be soon directly contacted by Tigerair Australia via email and SMS with details regarding their revised departure times for today.

This composite satellite image shows a probable patch of volcanic ash, in red and orange, coming from Mt Rinjani on Tuesday. Picture: NOAA

Flights confirmed cancelled:

Wednesday

Virgin VA41 Brisbane to Denpasar

Virgin VA65 Sydney to Denpasar

Tuesday

Virgin VA 046 from Denpasar to Brisbane

Virgin VA 070 from Denpasar to Sydney

Jetstar JQ38 Bali-Sydney

Jetstar JQ58 Bali-Brisbane

Jetstar JQ116 Bali-Singapore

Jetstar JQ128 Bali-Adelaide

Jetstar JQ57 Brisbane-Bali

Jetstar JQ116 Perth-Bali

Jetstar JQ127 Adelaide-Bali

Tigerair TT19 from Perth to Bali

Tigerair TT2 Bali to Melbourne

Travellers were left stranded because the ash cloud — produced by eruptions by volcanoes including Mt Rinjani — can interfere with jet engine turbine blades and choke intakes.

“Decisions about flights are made by individual airlines and operators. Safety is and always will be the highest priority,” a statement read.

The volcano has erupted several times recently, including November last year and last month.

The eruptions have caused confusion and delays for travellers — often extending for weeks at a time.

@jwo30 Please note your flight is delayed due to ash cloud. Please refer to our travel alerts page for more info - https://t.co/yLoqrueg0L

— Tigerair Australia (@TigerairAU) September 27, 2016

[Live Update] Jetstar flight #JQ37 from Sydney to Denpasar is returning to Sydney due to Volcanic ash from Mount Rinjani. https://t.co/BDB2WLa9xE

— Brendan Grainger (@S118869) September 27, 2016