Jakarta , Indonesia ( CNN ) -- Volcanic ash spewing from Indonesia 's Mount Merapi has forced some airlines to cancel flights out of Jakarta 's international airport , airport officials said Wednesday . Cathay Pacific Airways and Qantas Airways had canceled flights at Jakarta 's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport , airport spokesman Andang Santoso said . Singapore Airlines said it was continuing to fly . Large clouds of gas and dust from Merapi 's recent eruptions also have forced some flight cancellations into and out of the Yogyakarta airport . Travelers were asked to check with their airlines for schedule changes . On Wednesday , U.S. President Barack Obama shortened his visit to the Indonesian capital because of concerns that volcanic ash could ground Air Force One in Jakarta , according to administration officials . Recent eruptions of Merapi , which started on October 26 , have killed at least 156 people , officials at Sardjito hospital have said . The eruptions also have displaced an estimated 200,000 people . The 3,000-meter ( 9,800-foot ) Merapi , in Central Java , is famously unpredictable . About 1,300 people died when Merapi erupted in 1930 .
Cathay Pacific and Qantas cancels flights at Jakarta 's international airport . Singapore Airlines continues to fly . - The Indonesian government announces that it will not allow the United States military or any other foreign forces on its soil, including in East Timor.