Airlines in Asia halt flights to Bali due to ash from erupting volcano

Nine people have been killed, 31 injured and more than 11,000 people have been evacuated in multiple eruptions in recent weeks at the 1,703-metre-high double-peaked volcano, Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency said on Tuesday.

Explosions can pose serious risks to flights, releasing fine ash that can damage jet engines and erode aircraft windshields to the point of being invisible.

Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong also listed its flights as canceled and rescheduled routes to and from Bali until Thursday.

Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia and India’s IndiGo also listed canceled flights on Wednesday, according to an AFP journalist at Bali’s international airport.

“Volcanic ash poses a significant threat to the safe operations of aircraft near volcanic clouds,” AirAsia said in announcing many cancellations.