Indonesian authorities closed the international airport on the resort island of Bali because of ash from a volcanic eruption, dpa quoted an official. The Ngurah Rai airport would not reopen until Thursday as ash from Mount Rinjani on Lombok island was deemed a threat to flight safety, said Transport Ministry spokesman Julius Barata. "Volcanic ash, even if it's invisible, is very dangerous for aircraft," Barata said. Two small airports in Banyuwangi on Java island and Lombok were also closed, but the Lombok international airport was operating as normal as the area was not affected, he said. At least 692 domestic and international flights had been cancelled since Tuesday, said Shively Sanssouci, a spokeswoman for the state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura. -- SPA 11:02 LOCAL TIME 08:02 GMT تغريد
