TEMPO.CO, Jakarta-Sriwijaya Air management admitted for the first time they experience flight cancellations because of the haze that in Papua, airline officials said Monday, October 19.
"It's a unique incident, this is the first time we experienced cancellations due to haze in Timika," said Sriwijaya Air Corporate Communications Agus Sujono to Tempo on Monday.
Sriwijaya Air cancelled flights four times due to haze in Timika. The four flights are on the routes from Jakarta to Timika, Timika to Jayapura, Timika to Sorong and Timika to Makasar.
Previously, Timika Meteorology station forecaster Ardy Onda Ndaya Sipatu said according to Terra and Aqua satellites observations, there are 142 hotspots in Merauke and surrounding areas, triggering thick haze in the southern region of Papua.
"According to the latest satellite observation data, there are 142 hotspots spread around Merauke, Yos Sudarso Island until Mappi. The number of fires is increasing compared to previous day that reached 131," said Ardy in Timika on Saturday.
Since Thursday all flight activities at the Kilangin Moses airport in Timika, especially wide-bodied planes such as Garuda Indonesia, Sriwijaya Air and Airfast Indonesia had to be canceled.
"These conditions had greatly affect the aviation sector. Garuda Indonesia and Sriwijaya Air has not landed in Timika since October 15. Since Friday and Saturday, October 17, larger planes had not landed in Timika. Smaller planes are still operating," said Ardy.
ARIEF HIDAYAT
