‘Stress and hassle': Travellers in Bali scramble for flights to S'pore after Indonesia volcano erupts
Travellers waiting near the KLM counter at Changi Airport Terminal 1 on June 18 after their flight to Bali's capital Denpasar was cancelled. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
'Stress and hassle': Travellers in Bali scramble for flights to S'pore after Indonesia volcano erupts
SINGAPORE - Indian national Avic Hal was travelling in Bali the past week, when his trip - quite literally - almost went up in smoke.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a volcano on the eastern tourist island of Flores, Indonesia, erupted on June 17, causing volcanic ash to rain down on several villages surrounding the volcano, forcing the evacuation of at least one village.
The eruption also caused at least two dozen flight cancellations to and from the Indonesian resort island of Bali on June 18.
'It was really scary, I thought the whole trip would be ruined. I was scared for my health because of the pollution,' Mr Avic told The Straits Times at Changi Airport following his arrival at 11.30am via an AirAsia flight on June 18.
Asked about the situation at the airport in Bali, the 25-year-old business manager described it as 'very chaotic'.
'A lot of people were stranded and they were sitting on the benches because their flights were cancelled,' he said, adding that he will be transiting through Changi before flying back to Mumbai, India.
Mexican student Miguel Angel Gallardo also arrived in Singapore via AirAsia, but unlike Mr Avic, he and his family had to scramble to get on the plane after their 9am Scoot flight to Singapore was cancelled .
Student Miguel Angel Gallardo (second from right) with his family at Changi Airport Terminal 4 on June 18.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
They were informed of the cancellation only after arriving at the airport in Denpasar in the morning , said the 21-year-old from Texas.
The family then raced to get four tickets on AirAsia's 10.40am flight , but at an additional cost of about US$1,500 (S$1,920) in total.
'It caused a lot of stress and hassle because we didn't know if there were any other available airlines once ours got cancelled,' Mr Gallardo said.
'It's just smoke'
Despite the situation, some travellers told ST that they were unaware of the eruption , while others who knew about it said they were unconcerned as it occurred some distance away from Bali. According to travel website Travel Weekly Asia, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki is about 800km east of Bali .
Ms Azinam Rizieyana (second from left), 31, and her family waiting at Changi Airport Terminal 3 on June 18. Their original Scoot flight to Bali was cancelled, and they have been trying to secure another flight.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
French national Lucye Bouclyer arrived at Bali airport early on June 18, as her flight to Singapore was not affected by the eruption.
She said she is not afraid of volcanic eruptions - 'It's just smoke, sometimes flights are cancelled, but they're not too dangerous,' she told ST at Changi Airport .
The unemployed 23-year-old had spent two months in Indonesia , and will be spending three days in Singapore before leaving for Malaysia.
Quinton Posthumus, a 29-year-old from Pretoria, South Africa , said that he had received alerts about the impending eruption two weeks prior, but decided to proceed with his trip as planned .
He and his wife spent five days in Ubud, Bali , and said they 'didn't hear a thing about it from locals our whole trip'.
They did not experience any disruptions, and did not notice any announcements regarding the eruption when boarding their SIA flight to Singapore.
However, they remained worried for their two friends who will still be in Bali for the next three days.
An Indonesian mining consultant living in Singapore who wanted to be known only as A.W. told ST that she had arrived at Bali's airport at 8am for her flight home, which was scheduled for 1pm.
The 35-year-old observed that several flights there after 12pm had been cancelled, and was surprised to find that hers was still scheduled for departure. Amid the chaos, several friends had also checked in on her, asking if she was still flying home to Singapore.
'As Indonesians, we know there are a lot of volcano eruptions in Indonesia, but we trust that the government takes all necessary precautions,' she said.
This is a developing story.
Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Air India cuts international flights after crash causes chaos
Air India's decision came a day after Indian authorities directed the airline to improve its operations. PHOTO: REUTERS NEW DELHI – Air India, India's flagship carrier, said it would temporarily reduce the number of international flights it operates, after the deadly crash of one of its flights last week unleashed plane delays, unnerved passengers and prompted technical inspections of its fleet. The airline, which is grappling with the aftermath of the June 12 crash that killed at least 270 people, said late on June 18 in a post on the social media platform X that it was cutting international services on certain planes by 15 per cent at least until mid-July. The move, which applies to wide-body jets – planes with two aisles that are typically used for long-haul flights – is meant to 'ensure stability of operations, better efficiency and minimise inconvenience to passengers,' it said. Air India's decision came a day after Indian authorities directed the airline to improve its operations. The airline has been inundated by complaints from passengers about cancelled flights, faulty cabin devices and inadequate information being given to travelers. On June 17, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the country's main civil flight regulator, said in a statement that it found no 'major safety concerns' as it conducted technical inspections of Air India's fleet of 33 Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes, the model of plane that crashed. So far, 26 of the airline's planes have been cleared, Air India said. However, the regulator did find 'maintenance-related issues' and directed the carrier to 'strengthen internal coordination across engineering, operations, ground handling units'. Air India has a fleet of 190 planes, a company spokesperson said late on June 19, though its website lists 128. Air India Group, including Air India Express, operates about 1,000 flights daily, including to dozens of overseas destinations. The carrier has cancelled more than 80 flights since the crash. NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Motorists can expect 3-hour wait to clear customs at Woodlands Checkpoint: ICA
With the June school holidays coming to a close on June 29, traffic is expected to be heavy at both land checkpoints, ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY SINGAPORE - Those travelling to Malaysia on June 20 can expect up to a three-hour wait to clear customs at Woodlands Checkpoint, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). In a Facebook post at around 8.15am , ICA said that there is 'very heavy departure traffic' at the checkpoint due to tailback from Malaysia, with traffic congestion extending beyond Exit 10A of the BKE. ICA warned motorists that they can expect a queueing time of three hours or longer. With the June school holidays coming to a close on June 29 , traffic is expected to be heavy at both land checkpoints, especially on the weekends. Earlier this month, ICA reminded motorists about proper road etiquette, warning those caught jumping queues by its officers at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints that they will have to make a U-turn and rejoin the queue. They could also be blacklisted and face further disciplinary action from the authorities. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Business Times
a day ago
- Business Times
Summoning golden Olympic memories, Paris parties like it's still 2024
[PARIS] Parisians had such unexpected fun at their Olympics last summer, that they are holding a public anniversary celebration to recapture the party mood, but not everyone is quite as enthusiastic. The Olympic rings will be projected on the Eiffel Tower and there will be a giant Olympic karaoke in front of the town hall on July 26. However, preceding that party, the glowing cauldron balloon – 'a symbol of the popular enthusiasm for these Olympic Games', according to France's National Olympic Committee – returns on Saturday (Jun 21). It will float once again above the Tuileries Garden, with French President Emmanuel Macron in attendance, to conjure golden memories, even for those who were not there. 'There are many Parisians who fled Paris last year and who kicked themselves,' said Matthieu Gobbi of Aerophile, the company responsible for the balloon. Yet, athletes and grassroots sports organisations in France lament the lack of a more tangible 'legacy'. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up For those who were there, and the five billion the International Olympic Committee claims watched around the world, the Games provided 15 days of candy-coloured distraction from wars, divisive elections and global inflation. The sport was also spectacular, illuminated by the redemption of American gymnast Simone Biles, a likely final Roland-Garros triumph for the then 37-year-old tennis star Novak Djokovic, and the swimming heroics of French golden boy Leon Marchand. The sport at the Paris Olympics last year was spectacular, illuminated by feats that included the swimming heroics of French golden boy Leon Marchand. PHOTO: AFP An unusually high proportion of the Olympics was held in the the middle of the city, and that posed a challenge. There were fears of terrorist attacks, that public transport would not cope and the Seine would be too polluted for triathletes and long-distance swimmers to compete. Paris still pulled it off, enhancing its image, not least in France, as the world's leading tourist destination. 'We will see who can repeat a Games like this,' said Macron. 'Joy, unity, pride' This summer, Parisians will be able to swim at three venues along the Seine. The Tour de France, rerouted to avoid the capital last year, returns for its traditional finish on the Champs-Elysees at the end of a stage that covers many of the same streets where 500,000 spectators watched the Olympic road races. That stage will be on July 27, a year and a day after the Paris Games opened with an epic and grandiose ceremony, put on by a cast of 20,000 artists and staff, along the Seine. Celine Dion sang from the Eiffel Tower while the athletes sailed down the river in the pouring rain. 'This moment is a memory we share. It's not so common these days,' said Thomas Jolly, the artistic director for the opening and closing ceremonies. 'Having everyone watching the same thing at the same time surely creates a bond!' The ceremony left a lasting mark, he said, 'of joy, unity, pride'. The Games themselves even made a profit, a surplus of 76 million euros (S$112.5 million).That figure does not yet include broader public spending, particularly on infrastructure, and it is here that some in France feel the Olympics has left a slightly bitter taste. For Olympic organisers, the word 'legacy' – both tangible and intangible – helps legitimise hosting an event that many countries no longer want. 'We are trying to give the Olympics a role they weren't made for,' said Mickael Attali, a sports historian at Rennes II University. 'Good memories' and 'a good image of France' remain. 'Materially, there are still some things left in Seine-Saint-Denis,' said Attali, referring to the poorest departement in mainland France where the Olympic Aquatic Centre, opposite the Stade de France, has just opened to the public. Macron had promised the Olympics would help turn France into a sporting nation. The number of people registered to sports clubs has increased by 5 per cent, but thousands of enthusiastic children were turned away last autumn because of a lack of space. After the Games ended, national and local sports budgets were cut. Sports officials say that infrastructure projects have been halted and expenditure on equipment slashed. Some French athletes were abandoned by commercial sponsors. 'All the companies that had set up sponsorship for the Olympics have left,' said a specialist in sports marketing who did not wish to be named. Even some of France's Olympic stars feel the lustre has faded fast. 'We should not have said there would be a legacy,' said Olympic fencing champion Manon Apithy-Brunet. AFP
