Another volcano – Jetstar and Virgin cancel Bali flights

Virgin Australia has cancelled all flights in and out of Bali today (Wednesday 4 November 2015) and Jetstar has delayed its morning flights until further notice. The airlines took action after an ash cloud from Mt Rinjani on Lombok, next to Bali, drifted toward flight paths. 

Jetstar says any passengers in Australia booked on flights to Bali today should head for the airport and check in, in the usual manner, and then wait at the airport to see whether their flight is cancelled.

The two airlines cancelled 15 flights to and from Australia and Denpasar (Bali) yesterday. The latest volcanic disruption comes three months after a big eruption at Mount Raung in Java triggered widespread travel chaos at Bali airport, stranding passengers for days.

Mt Rinjani on Lombok begins to erupt

Indonesia is extremely volcanically active and has more volcanoes than any other country.

Virgin Australia has cancelled all flights in and out of Denpasar (Bali) for today, Wednesday 4 November 2015, as shown on the following list. The only exception is one flight, ex Adelaide and mentioned at the end of the list, which is still under review:

VA49 MEL-DPS                  STD 0915L

VA41 BNE-DPS                   STD 1010L

VA65 SYD-DPS                   STD 1120L

VA55 PER-DPS                   STD 0850L

VA34 DPS-ADL                   STD 1310L

VA62 DPS-PER                   STD 1725L

VA46 DPS-BNE                   STD 2110L

VA54 DPS-MEL                  STD 2230L

 

The following flight is currently under review:

VA33 ADL-DPS                   STD 1705L

In a statement on its website, Virgin Australia said its team of meteorologists and the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) had advised that conditions in the vicinity of Denpasar Airport were not safe for flying.

For the latest update on cancelled Virgin Australia flights, see here: http://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/bookings/flight-status/travel-alerts/

Virgin passengers whose flights have been cancelled by volcanic activity can change their booking to another date or alternative destination within 30 days without fee or receive a full travel credit.

Virgin noted that if the travel was booked through a travel agent or a third-party website, passengers should contact that party.

Jetstar said it would delay its morning flights from Australia to Bali today, Wednesday 4 November 2015. It then decided to cancel them all.

The latest Jetstar cancellations can be seen here: http://www.jetstar.com/au/en/travel-alerts

Jetstar flight cancellations: Wednesday, 4 November 2015 (listed by flight number)

To Bali:

• JQ 37 – Sydney-Bali
• JQ 43 – Melbourne-Bali
• JQ 47 – Brisbane-Bali
• JQ 102 – Townsville-Bali
• JQ 106 – Perth-Bali
• JQ 110 – Perth-Bali
• JQ 116 – Perth-Bali
• JQ117 – Singapore-Bali
• JQ 127 – Adelaide-Bali

From Bali:

• JQ 38 – Bali-Sydney
• JQ 44 – Bali-Melbourne
• JQ 58 – Bali-Brisbane
• JQ 101 – Bali-Townsville
• JQ 107 – Bali-Perth
• JQ 109 – Bali-Perth
• JQ 116 – Bali-Singapore
• JQ 117 – Bali-Perth
• JQ 128 – Bali-Adelaide
• JQ 101 – Bali-Townsville (2.30am, 5 November)

Jetstar has yet to decide about tomorrow (Thursday 5 November). It said passengers booked to travel from Australia yesterday and today (3 and 4 November) and who wish to reconsider their travel plans to Bali, can choose from a range of options. These include:

• Rebooking travel free of charge to an alternative date, within 28 days of original departure (same destination)
• Rebooking travel free of charge to an alternative date, within 28 days of original departure (any destination). Jetstar will waive the change fee however fare difference may apply.
• Request a Jetstar travel voucher to the value of the fare purchased on the original affected booking. Travel vouchers can be used within six months to book future travel up to 12 months in advance.

Written by Peter Needham