Cancellation of UAE flights to Bali disrupts many holiday plans

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Flight cancellations from the UAE to Bali in Indonesia have left many families in distress, many of them due to fly during the upcoming UAE National Day holidays. The cancellation of flights were due to the volcanic catastrophe that hit Bali.

The Indonesian authorities had issued highest-level warning after the volcanic eruptions from Mount Agung sent plumes of smoke thousands of metres into the air, forcing the closure of Bali's main airport and mass evacuations. As a result, the UAE flights have been cancelled, and residents were advised to seek alternative destinations.

Emirates Airlines confirmed that operations to and from Bali/Denpasar (DPS) "have been suspended until further notice."

Transit passengers bound for Bali/Denpasar (DPS), currently in Dubai International Airport, will be given the option to travel to the nearest destination CGK/Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, or to their original point of departure. Two flights - EK360/EK361- were cancelled on Monday. Passengers were urged to check the website emirates.com for the latest flight timings."

Holiday plans go down the drain After the government announced a four-day weekend for public employees and three-day weekend for the private sector to mark the National Day and Martyr's Day, families have been busy planning out their holiday schedules.

A frequent visitor to Bali, Emirati Abdullah Al Yasi had booked his flight to Bali to take his family of four for the weekend. "We cancelled our trip since we heard about the volcanic ash increasing in intensity last week," said Al Yasi.

Instead, Al Yasi said the family will be staycationing in Al Ain and Hatta to enjoy the outdoor winter activity. "The weather is pleasant, so we will be making the best out of it," said the 32-year-old.

Emirati Abdulrahman Al Attar said he was planning to enjoy the island's beaches and mountains with his wife, but the current volcanic eruption disrupted the plan. He said he diverted his four-day holiday to Malaysia instead. "Bali is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy its meditation retreats. However, we will have our change of scenery in Malaysia this year," said Al Attar. Similarly, Talal Al Nabooda said he wanted to take his family of three to the island for the first time, but the unfortunate incident made him cancel his flight on Monday. "I had hopes that the condition will get better by the weekend, but it hadn't so I had to cancel my flight," Al Nabooda said, noting that he has no alternative plans for National Day holidays yet.

Sherouk Zakaria "Born and raised in UAE, Sherouk Zakaria is a Senior Correspondent at Khaleej Times. Joined since May 2016, she covers Dubai Municipality, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), special events and humanitarian issues. Her choice of journalism as a career stems from her passion of telling people's stories and writing to inspire or make a difference. In her free time, she's an occasional theater and film actress. Sherouk received her BA in Mass Communications from the American University in Sharjah in 2013. Before joining Khaleej Times, she was a senior lifestyle/entertainment editor for a magazine in Dubai."

MENAFN2811201700490000ID1096159152