AirAsia cancels, reschedules flights after Indonesia volcano erupts

18 June 2025

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia has cancelled or rescheduled numerous flights to and from Bali, Lombok and Labuan Bajo following the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in Indonesia.

The 1,703-metre twin-peaked volcano, located on the eastern island of Flores in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara region, spewed an ash plume 10 kilometres into the sky, prompting widespread air travel disruption.

In a statement issued today, the airline said the extensive volcanic ash clouds pose a significant threat to the safe operation of aircraft in the affected airspace.

“Consequently, flights operated by AirAsia Malaysia (AK), AirAsia Indonesia (QZ), and AirAsia X Malaysia (D7) to and from Bali, Lombok and Labuan Bajo have been either cancelled or rescheduled,” it said.

AirAsia said affected guests have been notified via email and SMS regarding their flight status and recovery options. The airline added that it is working to ensure passengers are re-accommodated on the next available flights.

The airline also advised travellers heading to or from the affected destinations to stay informed by checking real-time flight status via the AirAsia MOVE app and monitoring email notifications for any changes.

“AirAsia continues to monitor Mount Lewotobi’s volcanic activity closely and will provide updates as soon as normal operations can safely resume,” it said.

Meanwhile, according to the Bali international airport website, numerous international flights from key destinations including Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and China were also cancelled due to volcanic ash disruptions affecting flight safety and visibility.

The volcano last erupted in May, prompting authorities to raise the alert to Indonesia’s highest level.