PUTRAJAYA: A total of 31 flights to Jakarta have been cancelled at airports nationwide today following the temporary closure of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport due to volcanic ash from the Anak Krakatau eruption.
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) said the cancellations, reported by airlines as of noon today, involved flights scheduled between 6.45 am and 11.55 pm.
The airport operator said Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) recorded the highest number of cancellations, with 21 flights, comprising 15 at Terminal 1 and six at Terminal 2
“Penang International Airport recorded six cancellations, while Kuching International Airport recorded one, Subang Airport two and Kota Bharu Airport one,” it told Bernama today.
Anak Krakatau, situated in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, continued to erupt on Saturday, with authorities reporting lava-fountaining activity as well as booming and rumbling sounds audible from an observation post
The eruption began at 11.07 pm local time on Friday and continued throughout observations from midnight to 6 am yesterday.
Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation reported volcanic ash was detected at heights of up to 6,000 metres (m) on the Java side of the volcano, while plume reaching up to 15,000m was obsered on the Sumatra side and parts of Banten province in Java.
Flight operations at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport were suspended until 1.30 pm, local time today (2.30 pm, Malaysian time).
Earlier, KLIA’s official social media accounts issued a travel advisory urging passengers bound for Jakarta on affected flights to contact their airlines for the latest schedule information,
It added that resting areas have been set up for affected passengers awaiting further updates. – BERNAMA
