TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Dozens of flights of Sriwijaya Air were reportedly canceled and postponed in Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, today, November 7, leaving hundreds of passengers.

An airport officer in Gate D of Terminal 2 who refused to be named said that the flight cancelation was due to the absence of aircraft.

Passengers flocked in the airport waiting room, demanding an explanation from the airliner, while some opted to switch to other flights.

Previously, Garuda Indonesia Director of Technic and Service Iwan Joeniarto in a written statement in Jakarta, Thursday, announced that the low-cost airliner was no longer a member of Garuda Indonesia Group.

Thus, the relationship between the two airlines would be a business-to-business (B2B) one.

However, the Airport’s Branch Communication Manager Haerul Anwar ensured that Sriwijaya was still operating in Soekarno-Hatta Airport. “We have checked to the OIC, and Sriwijaya remains operational as scheduled,” Haerul told Tempo in Tangerang, Thursday, November 7.

Regarding video footage of hundreds of Sriwijaya Air passengers protesting in Terminal 2F because of leaving stranded this afternoon, Haerul explained that it was due to issues on the flight schedule, rather than the halt operation of the airline.

“We have not examined deeply about the cause, but [it is] because of flight schedule uncertainty,” Haerul said.

ANTARA