Flight operations at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali have been confirmed to continue normally even though Mount Semeru in East Java erupted on Wednesday (19/11/2025).
This information was delivered directly by the General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Ahmad Syaugi Shahab. In his official statement, he emphasized,
“In connection with the eruption of Mount Semeru on Wednesday, 19 November 2025, we can convey that all flight operations at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport – Bali are running normally and smoothly.” His statement confirmed that there were no disruptions affecting flight schedules, whether for departures or arrivals.
Syaugi also reconfirmed this condition through direct monitoring at the international terminal. He said, “I am at the international terminal monitoring the situation directly on site, showing that the eruption of Semeru has absolutely no impact at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport.
All passengers are normal, aircraft are normal, and activities are normal.” This monitoring was carried out to ensure the situation remained safe and that no sudden changes in air conditions occurred.
Even though the airport remained safe, Syaugi advised all passengers to stay alert and arrive earlier before their flights. He stated,
“We urge all service users to arrive at the airport earlier and check their flight schedules with their airlines regularly.”
This appeal was issued as a precautionary measure against possible changes in natural conditions that could affect air traffic at any given time.
Meanwhile, Mount Semeru experienced a significant increase in volcanic activity on the same day.
The eruption occurred in the afternoon, with pyroclastic flows observed descending from the crater starting at 14:30 Western Indonesia Time.
These hot clouds continued to move and reached a distance of more than ten kilometers.
Due to the increasing intensity of the eruption, the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) raised Semeru’s activity status from Level III (Alert) to Level IV (Warning).
This status change became effective at 17:00 Western Indonesia Time after visual and instrumental monitoring showed high and unstable volcanic activity. The pyroclastic flow reached up to 7 kilometers, with the eruption column rising about 2,000 meters above the summit.
Despite the increased volcanic activity at Semeru, Ngurah Rai Airport continued to serve an average of 67,000 domestic and international passengers per day.
There were no disruptions to the flow of departures or arrivals.
The terminal atmosphere remained orderly and even became livelier due to the celebration of Galungan Day.
The airport management decorated the terminal with Balinese ornaments such as penjor and canang, while traditional dance performances and a gebogan parade entertained passengers throughout the day.
Overall, the series of observations, coordination efforts, and monitoring conducted by airport authorities demonstrated that the eruption of Mount Semeru did not affect aviation operations in Bali.
Flight activities continued smoothly, passengers were able to move comfortably, and all airport staff ensured that safety and comfort were consistently maintained.