Flights to and from Bali are operating normally despite an earthquake off the coast of Lombok that has killed more than 80 people.
AirAsia confirmed flights to both Bali and Lombok were operating as normal but said it was offering service recovery options to passengers flying to the Indonesian islands between August 6 and 10.
This involved the option to change to a new travel date on the same route within 14 calendar days of their original travel date or to retain the value of their fare in an AirAsia Big Loyalty account for up to 90 days.
“We will continue to monitor the situation closely and keep our guests updated on the latest developments,’’ the airline said, advising people to check its website or social media channels for further updates.
Jetstar said its flights were also operating to a normal schedule.
“Denpasar International Airport is open and operations remain as normal,’’ a spokesman said. “We are monitoring the situation closely but currently our flights to and from Denpasar are operating on schedule.”
The Jakarta Post quoted a senior official with the operator of Bali’s Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport as saying the airport only suffered minor damage.
The official emphasized that the main facilities and infrastructure, including runway, taxiway and apron, remained intact.
“We will immediately repair damage within 24 hours,” he told the paper. “We have checked flight facilities and ensured that everything is safe for flight operations to resume.’’
Lombok International Airport was evacuated but authorities said airport operations had also resumed.
The latest quake measured magnitude 7 on the Richter Scale and occurred just 16kms below the surface. A 2004 earthquake that triggered tsunamis and killed 230,000 people across South-east Asia measured 9.1.
Sunday’s quake initially triggered a tsunami warning, caused alarm in Bali and sent thousands on Lombok scurrying for safety.
It comes after a smaller 6.4 magnitude earthquake killed more than a dozen people on Lombok on July 29.
Indonesia is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity because it is at the meeting point of several tectonic plates.
Flights to Bali were disrupted in June due to an eruption by the island's Mt Agung volcano.
READ: Bali Airport closed by Mt Agung eruption.
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