TEMPO.CO, Malang - Scheduled passenger services to and from Malang's Abdurrachman Saleh Airport have been disrupted due to the temporarily closure of the airport. The closure has ben put into effect on Saturday, June 4, and the airport is expected to remain closed until 07.00 Western Indonesia Time (WIB), on Sunday, June 5, 2016.
The Head of Technical Operations Unit for Malang's Abdurrachman Saleh Airport, Suharno, has confirmed the temporary closure of the airport - as well as the subsequent diversion of scheduled passenger services to Surabaya's Juanda International Airport in Sidoarjo, East Java - due to a breakdown of a Hercules-type military transport aircraft on the the airport's main runway.
The Hercules aircraft has to be repaired on the runway as it could not be moved, so all scheduled civil and military flights has been temporarily banned from taking off and landing from the runway. "There was no accident, but a breakdown that caused the temporary obstruction of the runway," said Suharno.
The Head of Public Information for Abdul Rahman Saleh Airport, Maj. Hamdi Londong Allo confirmed that a Hercules military transport aircraft suffered a problem on its' nose wheel while it taxiing down the runway, to take off for an Indonesia Air Force (TNI AU) mission. "The problem meant that the aircraft could not take off, or indeed move from its' current position on the main runway - therefore, the Air Force Base and the Airport has to be closed for the time being," said Allo.
The closure, continued Allo, will be in effect until the Hercules could be towed to Squadron 32's Hangar - which houses TNI AU's Hercules fleet.
Sriwijaya Air Malang's District Manager, Muhammad Yusri Hansyah, has also confirmed that three scheduled passenger service has had to be diverted to Sidoarjo - with the total number of affected passenger reaching 540. The flights were bound for Jakarta, with an estimated time of departure (ETD) of 08.35, 12.40, and 14.35 WIB. "This is a force majeur, and we have no option but to divert our services - just like when Mount Bromo erupted," said Yusri.
Other affected airlines include Garuda Indonesia, Citilink, and Batik Air.
ABDI PURMONO
