Indonesia says forest-fire haze affected 2,604 flights, with Singapore routes cancelled
Indonesia’s transport ministry reported widespread domestic flight disruption from haze and 14 cancelled services involving Singapore.
Indonesia’s transport ministry said on Oct. 20 that forest-fire haze had affected 2,604 domestic flights from Aug. 11 to Oct. 19 and led to 14 cancellations on routes involving Singapore, CNA reported. The figures show disruption across Indonesia as well as on international services.
The ministry’s director-general of air transportation, Lukman F Laisa, said 1,420 of the affected domestic flights were cancelled or postponed, while 1,129 were delayed. Antara, as cited by CNA, reported that 23 flights were diverted, six returned to their departure airports and 26 were rescheduled to leave earlier.
Which Singapore flights were cancelled
Twelve round-trip flights between Singapore and Pontianak, in West Kalimantan, were cancelled between Sept. 12 and Sept. 23, CNA reported. Two more flights between Singapore and Palembang, in South Sumatra, were cancelled on Oct. 15. The ministry described the total as 14 cancelled international services involving Singapore; it was not immediately clear how it counted the Pontianak round trips.
Domestic disruption was reported at airports across Indonesia. CNA named Mutiara SIS Al-Jufrie Airport in Palu, Central Sulawesi, and Sultan Babullah Airport in Ternate, North Maluku, alongside airports serving Pontianak, Pekanbaru in Riau and Palembang.
How haze affects flight operations
Haze can reduce visibility around airports, affecting take-offs, landings and aircraft movements. The transport ministry said safety and security remained its priority and that operational decisions took account of weather conditions and safety assessments. Flight schedules could be adjusted when conditions on the ground did not allow safe operations, Laisa said, according to Antara as cited by CNA.
Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation listed an Oct. 19 item about forest fires affecting 2,604 flights on its website.
The haze has also disrupted services elsewhere in the region. CNA reported that Malaysia’s FireFly resumed flights between Subang and Singapore after suspending the service for about a week.
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Sources and context
- Indonesia haze disrupts over 2,600 flights, forces 14 cancellations on Singapore routesCNA
- Beranda - Hubud Kemenhub; Directorate General of Civil Aviation official site, including its Oct. 19 flight-impact itemDirectorate General of Civil Aviation, Indonesia Ministry of Transportation
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.