Bali airport reopens after volcano blankets sky with ash, but not all airlines think it's safe to fly

Late last week, Mt. Raung on the Indonesian island of Java threw a major wrench in travel plans, when after rumbling for weeks, finally let loose a steaming cloud of lava and ash cloud into the sky, forcing the delay or cancellation of 873 flights flights over two days and sending shivers down the backs of the thousands of tourists already on the island.

After closing yet again for part of Sunday, Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar has reopened and feverishly begun clearing out the backlog, as well as the waiting passengers stuck there for days. Speed is of the essence, not just to end the misery, but also in case a change in wind turns the flume back towards the airport.

However, not all airlines are willing to take the risk yet. Apart from just being damn scary, volcanoes can cripple a plane when its ash melts in a plane’s engine, coating it in a hard glass, which can knock it out of commission, not to mention jam gears, damage cockpit windows, and contaminate cabin air. Then, of course, there’s the danger of accidentally crashing into the volcano in the choked visibility.

That’s why Virgin Australia still refuses to reopen the routes between Australia and Bali, after weather forecasters warned against it. In the meantime, Virgin Australia is launching observation flights across the routes. If the pilots give the OK, the planes will start returning the captive tourists home ASAP (though let's be honest: there are worse places to be stuck).

However Transport ministry spokesman J. A. Barata assures everything is running smoothly. "Normal operations have resumed, however planes are to fly in and out from a westerly direction to avoid the ash." Ngurah Rai manager Trikora Harjo agrees, telling Agence France-Presse: "The weather is good so I am not sure why one or two airlines have chosen not to fly."