SIA, Scoot flights to Bali cancelled after Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki eruption
At least 24 flights to and from Bali, including Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Scoot services out of Changi Airport, were abruptly cancelled on Wednesday (18 June) after Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted dramatically, sending a massive ash cloud over 11km into the sky.
The volcano’s eruption — its second major activity in under a year — threw travel plans into chaos and prompted urgent warnings to avoid the area, amid fears of lava flows, mudslides, and further eruptions.
SIA & Scoot flights cancelled as volcano ash grounds planes
In a Facebook post on the same day, Changi Airport alerted travellers that flights to and from Bali and Lombok may be disrupted due to ash in the airspace.
According to The Straits Times (ST), four SIA flights were affected — two bound for Denpasar and two returning to Singapore, all of which were cancelled.
Based on Changi Airport’s website:
- Scoot’s 3.55pm flight to Denpasar was cancelled.
- SIA’s 4.10pm Bali-bound flight was also cancelled.
Source: Changi Airport’s website
Source: Changi Airport’s website
SIA stated that all affected passengers would be contacted regarding their bookings.
Volcano spews 11km of ash cloud into sky
The eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, located on Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara, occurred on Tuesday (17 June) around 5.35pm.
Indonesia’s volcanology agency has since raised the volcano’s alert level to its highest, warning of more potential eruptions.
The ash plume was recorded at over 11km high, according to Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
While no casualties or major damage have been reported so far, seismic activity continues, indicating the volcano may not have finished erupting.
Tourists urged to stay 7km away
The public has been banned from entering a 7km radius around the volcano’s crater.
Authorities are especially concerned about lahar floods — dangerous flows of volcanic mud and debris that can be triggered by heavy rain.
Source: @jackeydiaz on TikTok
Locals have been urged to:
- wear face masks to avoid inhaling toxic ash,
- stay alert for ash rain and slippery roads, and
- evacuate if advised.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency confirmed that at least one villager has been evacuated and more may follow, reports the BBC.
Source: corelens on Canva, for illustration purposes only
Volcano last erupted in November last year
This is not the first time Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki has erupted.
In November 2024, the volcano erupted eight times, killing nine people and forcing thousands to evacuate from their homes.
The eruption also led to international flight cancellations to Bali.
Mount Lewotobi is a twin volcano, which includes:
- Laki-laki (man in Indonesian) — the more active pair
- Perempuan (woman in Indonesian) — slightly taller, but much calmer at 1,703m
Indonesia is no stranger to volcanic activity, as the country is located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, a seismically active zone known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Also read: Volcano in Indonesia erupts 8 times in a day, at least 9 killed & 5.8K residents evacuated
Volcano in Indonesia erupts 8 times in a day, at least 9 killed & 5.8K residents evacuated
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Featured image adapted from @heyontesa on TikTok and Simple Flying. Right image is for illustration purposes only.
