Travel chaos as Mount Agung volcano erupts

Travel disruptions following eruption

Air travelling in Bali was thrown into chaos in late June amid the eruption of Mount Agung volcano. The latest eruption will likely be a least pleasant experience for many travelers especially those from the northern hemisphere where the summer vacation season has just kicked off. Mount Agung is an active volcano and its last major activity took place in late 2017 during which it caused not only travel disruptions but also forcing many locals living nearby to flee their homes. The latest round of eruption indicates that magma is still being forced up to the summit. As of latest, the most affected airports in the region include Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS), the Banyuwangi Airport (BWX) and Notohadinegoro Airport (JBB) in Java.

Following is a timeline of Mount Agung volcano eruption as reported by SAFEY:

Thursday 28 June– Bali’s Mount Agung erupts, forcing several flights to be cancelled

  • The eruption forced some flights to Bali to be cancelled though the airport remained open at the initial stages. A 4-km exclusion zone was also put in place by the authorities.

Friday 29 June– Bali’s Ngurah Rai and two other airports close as eruption intensifies

  • The Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in Bali was shut due to safety concerns in the hours that followed. Operation at Lombok International Airport (LOP) however continued as usual.
  • Later in the day, more airports were forced to shut. They include the Banyuwangi Airport (BWX) in Banyuwangi Regency and Notohadinegoro Airport (JBB) in Jember Regency, East Java Province.
  • Some flights were diverted to Juanda International Airport (SUB) in Surabaya as a result.
  • By late Friday, both Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport and Banyuwangi Airport were reopened as the situation at the volcano eased.

Monday 2 July– Fresh eruption reported at Mount Agung

  • Another eruption took place at the Mount Agung volcano in Bali at around 22:00 (local time). The 4-km exclusion zone and an alert level, the second highest danger warning, remained in effect due to the high amount of volcanic activities.

Tuesday 3 July– Banyuwangi airport closes again due to volcanic eruption

  • Banyuwangi Airport (BWX) in Banyuwangi Regency on Java island was shut again due to renewed eruption of Mount Agung volcano.

SAFEY will continue to monitor the volcanic activity as the situation develops.