Indonesia extends airport closures due to erupting volcano

Denpasar

 Three airports in Indonesia, including in the tourist hotspot Bali, are to remain shut until at least today, after a volcanic eruption.

 Authorities closed the airport in Bali, the international airport on popular Lombok island, and three others serving domestic routes late Thursday as Mount Raung on Java spewed clouds of ash into the sky.

 The closure of Bali airport came during peak season and crowds of anxious visitors packed out the terminal buildings as they waited for more information about their flights.

 The government initially said all airports would not be operational until late Friday. But later in the day, the transport ministry said that Bali and two small airports in East Java would remain closed until at least Saturday morning.

 "All three of them will be closed until 10:00am Saturday," ministry spokesman J. A. Barata said. "The air is still not clear."

 Lombok's international airport, and a smaller one on the island, were re-opened earlier Friday.

 Many were also waiting in the international terminal, with some trying to seek information from airport officials while others were sitting or sleeping on the floor.

 The travel chaos came at a busy time in Bali, with many Australians were visiting the island during the school break and millions of Indonesians setting off on holiday ahead of the Muslim celebration of Eid next week.

 Trikora Harjo, general manager at Ngurah Rai airport near Denpasar, Bali's capital, said that 330 flights -- 160 domestic and 170 international -- had been cancelled at the airport due to the ash cloud.

 Garuda said it had cancelled a total of 112 flights yesterday.