Virgin Australia halted operations in Bali when the volcano spewed a dangerous cloud of ash 9 kilometers high, making it unsafe to fly.

Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted at least three times last Saturday and wreaked havoc in its aftermath.

“Due to the presence of volcanic ash, it is currently unsafe to operate flights to and from Denpasar,” Virgin Australia issued a statement on Wednesday in a surprising turn of events.

The airline further revealed: “Up to 15 flights between Australian cities and Bali have been affected.”

The disruptions affected Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia flights on Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving passengers stranded for hours.

Two Qantas return flights, scheduled to fly from Australia to Denpasar, have so far been delayed.

Additionally, ten Virgin flights bound for Indonesia on Wednesday were canceled, with the spokesperson citing “adverse weather.”

A total of nine people died, prompting the evacuation of more than 15,000 people near the crater.

It is pertinent to mention that a Qantas flight will depart Sydney International Airport at around 4:30 pm, while Virgin plans to operate a flight from Sydney at 5:45 pm.