Flights Cancelled to and from Indonesia’s Bali Due to Volcanic Ash

 Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki spews ash and smoke during an eruption as seen from Lewolaga village in Titihena, East Nusa Tenggara, on November 13, 2024. (AFP)
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki spews ash and smoke during an eruption as seen from Lewolaga village in Titihena, East Nusa Tenggara, on November 13, 2024. (AFP)
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Flights Cancelled to and from Indonesia’s Bali Due to Volcanic Ash

 Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki spews ash and smoke during an eruption as seen from Lewolaga village in Titihena, East Nusa Tenggara, on November 13, 2024. (AFP)
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki spews ash and smoke during an eruption as seen from Lewolaga village in Titihena, East Nusa Tenggara, on November 13, 2024. (AFP)

Several international airlines cancelled flights to and from Indonesia's resort island of Bali on Wednesday, after further eruptions of a volcano that has spewed ash clouds as high as 10 km (32,808 ft) and forced thousands to evacuate.

Jetstar and Qantas said they had stopped flights to Bali on Wednesday for safety reasons because of volcanic ash, while plane tracking website Flightradar24 showed flights to the island by AirAsia and Virgin were also cancelled.

Bali is Indonesia's top tourist hotspot and is a popular destination for Australian visitors.

The first eruption of the Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki on Nov. 3 in the East Nusa Tenggara province, about 800 km (497 miles) from Bali, killed at least nine people. It has since erupted repeatedly, including multiple times on Tuesday.

From Nov. 4 to Nov. 12, 80 flights in Bali were cancelled, including from Singapore, Hong Kong, and several Australian cities, said Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, general manager of Bali's Ngurah Rai airport.

Indonesia has close to 130 active volcanoes and sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an area of high seismic activity atop various tectonic plates.

The ash column from Mount Lewotobi has reached as high as 10 km and authorities have said sand fall has covered surrounding areas.



SAUDIA Wins Best Airline Cabin Crew Award at Business Traveler Awards

Saudi Arabian Airlines plane, is seen at the airport of the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, August 9, 2021. (Reuters)
Saudi Arabian Airlines plane, is seen at the airport of the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, August 9, 2021. (Reuters)
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SAUDIA Wins Best Airline Cabin Crew Award at Business Traveler Awards

Saudi Arabian Airlines plane, is seen at the airport of the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, August 9, 2021. (Reuters)
Saudi Arabian Airlines plane, is seen at the airport of the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, August 9, 2021. (Reuters)

Saudia Airlines (SAUDIA) has earned the Best Airline Cabin Crew award at the 2024 Business Traveler North America Awards ceremony in Miami, US.
SAUDIA Chief Guest Experience Officer Rossen Dimitrov received the award, which is given to airlines for the first time, SPA reported.
Dimitrov said that the award received by SAUDIA is testimony to its dedication to enhancing the travel experience, aiming to elevate it to new heights and surpass expectations. He added that air service constitutes a critical aspect of travel, and is a key indicator of service quality that reflects the level of guest satisfaction.
This international recognition, he said, underscores the effectiveness of SAUDIA employees, “particularly the team of navigators who are crucial to the operational system, managing over 500 flights daily”.
He noted that air service is experiencing significant improvements that showcase Saudi culture, from the warm welcome and assistance to the menu featuring meals inspired by the Saudi cuisine, and the tradition of serving Saudi coffee and dates sourced from the homeland, as a sign of hospitality.
As part of its strategic vision for a new era, SAUDIA is dedicated to continuous innovation and to coming up with impactful initiatives that improve services and products. Its commitment to improving its operational performance is evident in the modern, and expanding, fleet, which currently includes 144 aircraft that helps it carry out its plan of connecting the world with the Kingdom.