Virgin Australia Cancels Flights To And From Bali

Kuta, Bali (Antara Bali)- Australian airlines Virgin Australia has cancelled 12 flights due to the eruption of Mount Raung, although the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport remains open.

"Although the airport has been reopened after it was earlier closed, Virgin has cancelled its flights. But, it is the airlines` decision," Co-General Manager of the Ngurah Rai Airport`s Angkasa Pura I airport management I Gusti Ngurah Ardita stated here, Friday.

The 12 flights comprised six flights to Bali from Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, and Perth.

The other six flights were from Bali to Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.

Earlier, the Bali airport was closed after the 3,332 meter-high volcano spewed ash toward the airport. However, all postponed flights finally departed on Thursday evening.

In the meantime, the management of I Gusti Ngurah Rai international airport has lost US$40 thousand per day due to Mount Raung`s eruption that has frequently forced temporary closures of the airport, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya stated.

"As the Ngurah Rai airport has been closed several times, 10 thousand foreign tourists failed to arrive in Bali per day. Moreover, on a weekend day, around 14 thousand foreign tourists could not land on the Island of Gods (Bali). In total, there were 41 thousand foreign tourists," Arief noted while inspecting the Crisis Center Command Post of Mount Raung Eruption at the airport, recently.

He urged the airport`s management to focus on two crucial aspects when the airport is temporarily closed again.

First, the management must immediately announce the revised arrival and departure schedules of flights when the airport resumes operations after any temporary closure.

Second, the airport management must provide information on the alternative means of transportation for passengers to reach their destinations through the nearest cities whose airports are not affected by the volcanic eruption.

The airport management must provide comprehensive information concerning the certainty of the tourists` departures. (WDY)