According to AirAsia group director of flight operations Adrian Jenkins, due to unpredictable wind conditions, the airline has decided that flights will operate based on ash clouds and weather forecasts from international vendors and advisories issued by local authorities.
“Ash clouds are not visible in darkness. This makes it impossible for our pilots to detect any shifts in the ash cloud at night.
“This is to ensure safety of our guests and crew. It is also to minimise any possible service interruptions, such as sudden flight cancellations or mid-air diversions that could arise as a result of ash cloud movements.
“Each airline will make its own assessment. For us, we want zero tolerance levels.
“Safety remains our top priority and we will continue to reflect that in our operations,” said Adrian in a statement today.
Earlier news reports had stated that jet engines can often melt some of the ash in the clouds. But it can then cool again in the engine, creating a layer on top of the turbines. This can cause engines to fail, a danger airlines want to avoid at all cost.
The sudden changes in weather forecast for this evening in Bali have also affected Jetstar flights out of the island.
The airline has cancelled nine of 15 outgoing planned flights following a forecast that volcanic ash could hit airport operations in the evening.
A full list of cancelled flights is available on the airline’s website.
“We are contacting affected customers on cancelled flights directly and will automatically rebook them once flights resume.
“Our senior pilots will make further assessments tonight and tomorrow morning, based on the latest information from the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre.
“We will provide customers an update if the situation changes. We apologise for the unexpected change to their travel plans and understand how frustrating this situation is.”
The statement added that Jetstar will provide its next regular update by 7pm tonight.
According to an update on the airline’s website, Jetstar and its parent, Qantas Airways Ltd, had planned up to 18 flights on Friday to ferry 4,300 passengers home to Australia, including one by a Qantas 747 jet.
The erupting Mount Agung volcano forced the Denpasar International Airport to close for several days last week, leaving thousands of international travellers stranded.
Indonesian authorities have raised the state of alert to its highest level and expanded the exclusion zone around the rumbling volcano.
Local authorities have been taking precautions since September to prevent casualties as more than 1,000 people were killed when Mount Agung erupted in 1963.
Tourists fly out of Bali at last as wind blows volcanic ash away