Indonesia volcano erupts causing airport closure and flight cancellations

Mount Merapi is the most active volcano in the country

Simon Calder
Travel Correspondent
Friday 11 May 2018 15:20 BST
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Mount Merapi volcano erupts in Indonesia

Thousands of travellers to and from Bali, Jakarta, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur have had their flights cancelled, delayed or diverted due to the eruption of Mount Merapi in central Java.

The 9,610ft volcano, the most active in Indonesia, erupted at 7.32am on the morning of Friday 11 May.

Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) said “ash rain” had fallen, “especially in the south to southwest of the peak crater of Mount Merapi”.

The organisation urged people in the vicinity of the eruption to remain calm, but to “use a mask when performing activities outside the home”.

The airport at Yogyakarta, a city of nearly half-a-million people, was temporarily closed.

Air Asia cancelled services from Bali, Jakarta and Singapore, while its departure from Kuala Lumpur to Yogyakarta was instructed to return to the Malaysian capital.

Garuda, the Indonesian national airline, grounded 14 flights. In a statement, the carrier said: “The cancellation of flights to and from Yogyakarta is in line with the company's commitment to prioritise the safety aspects of aviation operations, particularly considering the distribution of volcanic ash which is very risky to aviation safety.

Round trip: flightpath of Air Asia AK346 from Kuala Lumpur to Yogyakarta, which returned to base because of the volcanic eruption in Indonesia

“Garuda Indonesia will continue to monitor the situation and developments related to the activity of Mount Merapi.”

In 2010, an eruption of the same volcano killed 347 people.

There was widespread disruption to domestic and international flights.

Late in 2017, tens of thousands of travellers were stranded on the island of Bali due to fears that Mount Agung might erupt.

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