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New ash clouds force Bali flight cancellations

Airlines and their passengers in Bali are waiting for more information on volcanic ash that’s again disrupting the holiday plans of hundreds.

All Virgin Australia flights to and from Denpasar and some Jetstar flights have been cancelled on Tuesday, as ash from Mt Barujari, a volcano within the Mt Rinjani caldera on neighbouring Lombok island, makes it unsafe to fly.

Jetstar cancelled three flights to Bali and three flights out on Tuesday, while Virgin cancelled five flights to Bali and five flights back to Australia.

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Mt Barujari started emitting ash on October 25, after a small explosive eruption.

Reports said hikers were evacuated and all trekking in the popular Rinjani National Park was stopped.

The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre noted ash at flying altitudes over Bali on Tuesday morning, triggering the action by the two Australian carriers.

Affected passengers were told to stand by for the next update.

Maxine Bishop, a Jetstar passenger going to Melbourne, said she understood the airline had to make a call.

“They’re thinking about our safety so you just have to take it,” she said.

“If I have to be stuck anywhere, this is a good place to be stuck.”

Another Melbourne woman flying Jetstar, Beverly, was also relaxed about the change of plans.

Asked what she was going to do after learning the flight was cancelled she joked: “Have a Bintang!”

Bali Tourism Board chairman Ida Bagus Ngurah Wijaya said he didn’t believe there would be a repeat of the saga earlier this year, when ash from Mt Raung completely halted air travel in Bali for several days.

“It was quite a big loss,” he told AAP.

“From Australia, the drop (in passengers) in July and August was on average, about 30 per cent.”

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