Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) -- International flights to the Indonesian island of Bali were canceled Friday because of volcanic ash, according to a transportation official.
Mount Bromo in East Java has been erupting since late last year. Although the threat level was downgraded recently, it continues to spew out ash columns, according to the Indonesian Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation agency. East Java is in close proximity to Bali.
A volcanic ash monitoring center in Darwin, in northern Australia, issued a Notice to Airmen warning that the ash could affect aviation. That prompted all international airlines to cancel flights.
International flights of the airlines Cathay Pacific, Virgin Blue, Jetstar and Value were affected, said Bambang Ervan, spokesman of the Transportation Ministry.
Domestic flights were not canceled, as the they may go through another air route that is deemed safer, officials said.
"Our team and also the (Bali's) Ngurah Rai Airport team is still monitoring the conditions at the airport," Ervan said.
Airlines are asking passengers to check flights before the scheduled date of departure for updates.
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