Mount Agung has stopped emitting ash.Picture: AP
Bali
Flights resume for Bali-bound tourists as ash from Mt Agung clears
Geoffrey Thomas, PerthNow December 3, 2017 4:37PM
PERTH tourists can once again head to Bali with Jetstar confirming it will take passengers on Monday after Mount Agung stopped emitting ash.
Jetstar and Virgin had launched rescue flights to recover stranded passengers on Sunday, with Virgin to make a decision on inbound flights on Monday.
Jetstar said that some scheduled flights may leave a little later to allow intending passengers time to rearrange their plans.
“Flying conditions at Denpasar Airport are expected to remain clear tomorrow so we are planning to resume scheduled services between Bali and Australia,” Jetstar said in a statement.
It has been almost a week since inbound Bali flights departed Perth, with Denpasar’s airport closed midweek due to Mount Agung.
The airport has since been reopened, with airlines monitoring the situation on a daily basis.
A Balinese farmer works on a farm as smoke pours out of the Mount Agung volcano.Picture: EPA
A major and explosive eruption is still possible with high-frequency earthquakes increasing at Mount Agung.
Noted and respected volcanologist Dr Janine Krippner told The West Australian that while the volcano appeared “calm on the outside, much is going on inside”.
On Friday the Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation said that the rate of seismic events had decreased since the September/October peak and attributed that “to the fact that a more open pathway for magma to rise to the surface is now present”.
See how Virgin Australia assess volcanic activity
“High-frequency earthquakes continue to occur and show that the volcano is very active and capable of pressurization to cause the ongoing eruptions,” the centre said in a statement.
However, since that report, the area has experienced a prolonged 3.5 magnitude earthquake on Saturday and then swarms of smaller events on Sunday, indicating a significant increase in activity.
Chief geologist of CVGHM Gede Suantika warned that the “overscale tremors indicate the magma chamber is being filled and is estimated to be 50 per cent full from an estimated 60 million m³”.
“May fill up in 10 days. Advisories over for the moment, but it's not the end. So, enjoy Bali but stay alert and vigilant,” he said.
Like the Australian airlines, Indonesia Air Asia has been taking a very conservative view of flying and cancelling flights.
“We decide on which flights to operate based on ash cloud and weather forecasts from two reputable international vendors, as well as notices and advisories issued by local authorities,” AirAsia Group Director of Flight Operations, Adrian Jenkins, said.
“This is to ensure the safety of our guests and crew, and to minimise any possible service interruptions, such as a sudden flight cancellation or mid-air diversion, that could arise as a result of ash cloud movements.
“Each airline will make its own assessment and for us, we want zero tolerance levels. Safety remains our top priority, and we will continue to reflect that in our operations.”
Bali
Flights resume for Bali-bound tourists as ash from Mt Agung clears
Geoffrey Thomas, PerthNow December 3, 2017 4:37PM
PERTH tourists can once again head to Bali with Jetstar confirming it will take passengers on Monday after Mount Agung stopped emitting ash.
Jetstar and Virgin had launched rescue flights to recover stranded passengers on Sunday, with Virgin to make a decision on inbound flights on Monday.
Jetstar said that some scheduled flights may leave a little later to allow intending passengers time to rearrange their plans.
“Flying conditions at Denpasar Airport are expected to remain clear tomorrow so we are planning to resume scheduled services between Bali and Australia,” Jetstar said in a statement.
It has been almost a week since inbound Bali flights departed Perth, with Denpasar’s airport closed midweek due to Mount Agung.
The airport has since been reopened, with airlines monitoring the situation on a daily basis.
A Balinese farmer works on a farm as smoke pours out of the Mount Agung volcano.Picture: EPAA major and explosive eruption is still possible with high-frequency earthquakes increasing at Mount Agung.
Noted and respected volcanologist Dr Janine Krippner told The West Australian that while the volcano appeared “calm on the outside, much is going on inside”.
On Friday the Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation said that the rate of seismic events had decreased since the September/October peak and attributed that “to the fact that a more open pathway for magma to rise to the surface is now present”.
See how Virgin Australia assess volcanic activity
“High-frequency earthquakes continue to occur and show that the volcano is very active and capable of pressurization to cause the ongoing eruptions,” the centre said in a statement.
However, since that report, the area has experienced a prolonged 3.5 magnitude earthquake on Saturday and then swarms of smaller events on Sunday, indicating a significant increase in activity.
Chief geologist of CVGHM Gede Suantika warned that the “overscale tremors indicate the magma chamber is being filled and is estimated to be 50 per cent full from an estimated 60 million m³”.
“May fill up in 10 days. Advisories over for the moment, but it's not the end. So, enjoy Bali but stay alert and vigilant,” he said.
Like the Australian airlines, Indonesia Air Asia has been taking a very conservative view of flying and cancelling flights.
“We decide on which flights to operate based on ash cloud and weather forecasts from two reputable international vendors, as well as notices and advisories issued by local authorities,” AirAsia Group Director of Flight Operations, Adrian Jenkins, said.
“This is to ensure the safety of our guests and crew, and to minimise any possible service interruptions, such as a sudden flight cancellation or mid-air diversion, that could arise as a result of ash cloud movements.
“Each airline will make its own assessment and for us, we want zero tolerance levels. Safety remains our top priority, and we will continue to reflect that in our operations.”
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