Indonesia’s Transportation Ministry counted 2,604 domestic flights affected by smoke from forest and land fires between Aug. 11 and Oct. 19, as poor visibility disrupted airport operations across the country.
The total was 146 higher than the ministry’s count of 2,458 as of Oct. 17. Of the flights in the latest tally, 1,420 were canceled or postponed and 1,129 were delayed. The remaining cases comprised 23 diversions, six returns to origin airports and 26 departures moved to earlier times.
The ministry counted international flights separately. Smoke at Supadio Airport in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, prompted 12 cancellations on the route linking the city with Singapore from Sept. 12 to 23. Two flights on the Singapore-Palembang route were canceled Oct. 15 because of smoke at Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport in South Sumatra. Those 14 cancellations are outside the domestic total.
In Sampit, H. Asan Airport reported 51 haze-related flight cancellations from Oct. 1 to 17. The airport said the cancellations disrupted travel for work, family and business.
The flight disruption came amid widespread fires. Satellite monitor Nusantara Atlas estimated that 1.9 million hectares burned across Indonesia from January through September, 38% more than its estimate for the same period in 2019.
The ministry said haze also affected airports in eastern Indonesia, including those at Palu, Ternate, Ambon, Timika and Sorong, from Oct. 13 to 17. Smoke near airports can limit visibility, disrupting takeoffs, landings and aircraft movement.
The ministry directed affected airports to use low-visibility procedures, coordinate with air navigation and weather agencies, and keep passengers informed of schedule changes.
