A staggering 17,000 islands comprise Indonesia, and many of them are hugely popular holiday destinations. However, lots of these islands are volcanic, due to the country’s position on the Pacific Ring of Fire, and one of its most active sites has just erupted – again.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki is on the island of Flores and has just erupted for the third time in three months, spewing an 18 km tall cloud of ash into the air, depositing debris onto nearby homes and leading to serious flight delays to and from Bali.
It’s clearly not ideal if you have a trip planned, so here is all the information on whether it is safe to travel amidst the eruption’s aftermath, and what you could be entitled to if your travel is affected.
Is it safe to travel to Bali?
Yes, but you’ll need to check if your flight is still running. Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, an active volcano on the Indonesian island of Flores, erupted once again on Monday July 7. Volcanic ash and materials were sent up to 18km into the air, and according to the country’s Geology Agency, avalanches of gas clouds were sent down its slopes, depositing debris on the rooftops of nearby villages.
Thankfully, no casualties have been reported so far.
Where was the volcanic eruption in Indonesia?
Indonesia is spread across the Pacific Ring of Fire and is home to roughly 130 active volcanoes. One of these is Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, on the island of Flores (one of the Lesser Sunda Islands in the eastern half of the archipelago) and that’s the one which has just erupted. Bali is to the west of Flores.
Have flights to Bali been cancelled?
Yes, flights have been cancelled or severely delayed due to the ash cloud, many of which are operated by airlines such as Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia. Also, according to the Independent, data from FlightRadar showed arrivals to Bali from Bangkok, Jakarta, and Singapore, among others, were all diverted on Sunday evening before the eruption, and delays in services leaving the island are expected to continue.
However, a customer service agent from InJourney Airports told AFP that Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport is operating as normal.
What is the UK Foreign Office saying?
So far, the FCDO’s advice only advises against travel to parts of Indonesia, which are the volcanic sites as follows:
- Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, on Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara Province, to within 7km of the crater
- Mount Sinabung, Karo Regency, North Sumatra, to within 5km of the crater
- Mount Marapi, West Sumatra, to within 3km of the crater
- Mount Semeru, Lumajang Regency, East Java, to within 5km of the crater and in the south-east of Mount Semura to within 500m from any riverbank of the Besuk Kobokan river for 13km from the crater
- Mount Ruang, Northern Sulawesi, to within 7km of the crater
- Mount Ibu, North Maluku Province, to within 7km of the crater
On the safety and security section, it reads: ‘There are lots of active volcanoes in Indonesia. They can erupt without warning and eruptions have caused destruction and fatalities. The authorities usually evacuate villages within a 3km to 7km radius of the eruption.’
‘Check news reports and updates on volcanic activity (in Bahasa language) before travelling to areas that are prone to volcanic activity. While near any volcano, you should: respect exclusion zones; monitor local media; stay alert and listen to any local warnings; follow the advice of the local authorities, including any evacuation orders.’
What are your rights if you’ve booked a trip to Bali?
Because travel has not been advised against, you won’t simply be able to cancel without a penalty. Instead, contact your travel provider directly to see what can be done if you would prefer not to travel.
Most of the flights affected by this eruption operate from Australia or southeast Asia. If you’re a UK passenger, you’ll only be covered by UK law if you departed from a British airport, are arriving at one on a UK or EU airline, or arrive at an EU airport on a UK airline. So, if your flight has been cancelled but does not fall under one of these categories, the course of action is the airline’s prerogative (most will book you onto the next available flight for free, some will cover food and accommodation costs).
When was the last eruption in Indonesia?
Only back in mid-June did we report on another eruption at Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, which also had an impact on air travel to and from Bali. Before that, there were eruptions in May, and several back in November 2024.
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