LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia – Flights continued landing and departing from Labuan Bajo on Saturday.
But not all of them took off.
Two flights from Komodo International Airport were canceled after Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted in neighboring East Flores, sending volcanic ash into parts of eastern Indonesia and disrupting regional air travel.
The cancellations affected Wings Air routes connecting Labuan Bajo with Ende and Bajawa.
“Canceled due to volcanic ash,” said Komodo International Airport spokesperson Marwa on Saturday.
Despite the disruptions, airport officials stressed that Komodo International Airport itself remains operational.
According to airport authorities, no volcanic ash was detected in the Labuan Bajo area.
“Komodo Airport returned negative results from paper tests,” Marwa said.
Officials believe volcanic ash was detected closer to the destination airports rather than around Labuan Bajo itself.
Volcano Erupts Again
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted again on Saturday morning at approximately 10:07 a.m. local time.
According to volcano monitoring officials, the eruption produced an ash column reaching approximately 1,500 meters above the summit, or roughly 3,084 meters above sea level.
Herman Yoseph S Mboro, an observer at the Lewotobi monitoring station, said the ash plume appeared thick and gray, moving predominantly toward the west and northwest.
The eruption lasted for nearly four minutes, according to monitoring data.
What This Means for Travelers
For now, the disruption remains limited.
Other flights operating through Komodo International Airport continue running normally, and authorities have not announced broader airport closures or additional cancellations.
Still, volcanic ash can change aviation conditions rapidly.
Labuan Bajo serves as the primary gateway to Komodo National Park and one of Indonesia’s fastest-growing tourism destinations, meaning even limited disruptions can affect travelers heading deeper into Flores and eastern Indonesia.
Passengers traveling to or through the region over the coming days may want to monitor flight schedules closely.
For now, the airport remains open.
The volcano, however, remains active.