TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Several airlines at Adisutjipto Airport, Yogyakarta, are forced to delay flights to Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport, Pekanbaru, Riau, due to haze from forest fires.

Limited visibility has hampered flight activities. “Citilink airline has postponed for about two weeks,” said PT Angkasa Pura I Adisutjipto Airport spokesperson Edwin Wibowo on Thursday, September 17.

Sudianto, chairman of the Yogyakarta branch of Assocation of Indonesia Tours and Travel Agencies, said the disrupted flights affect tourism i Yogyakarta as the region receives many visits from Riau. In one day, there are at least one to two flights from Riau to Yogyakarta.

“Many canceled their departure. It automatically harmed flight ticket agents and airlines,” said Sudianto.

Several airlines with routes from Yogyakarta to Pekanbaru and Yogyakarta to Palembang, according to Sudianto, have canceled flights since two weeks ago. The haze also affects flights to Singapore and Malaysia. Sudianto that departed from Yogyakarta to Singpore using AirAsia last week felt the impact of the haze.

Yogyakarta tourists have used trip packages to Asian regions, including Malaysia and Singapore. However, Sudianto said the haze has not greatly affected to the number of tourist visits. “Still normal,” he said.

Sudianto hoped the government will immediately solve the haze problem so that it would not affect the tourism sector.

SHINTA MAHARANI