Anak Krakatau eruption: SIA adds 8 relief flights between Jakarta and Singapore

SINGAPORE – Singapore Airlines has added eight relief flights between Singapore and Jakarta on Sept 8 for customers affected by volcanic activity caused by the eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatau.

In an update to an advisory posted on its Facebook page at 9:17am on Sept 8, SIA said the relief flights will be mounted to transfer customers affected by the disruption, subject to seat availability.

It added: “SIA will progressively rebook affected customers on the next available flight as flights between Singapore and Jakarta resume.”

More SIA flights were also retimed or cancelled on Sept 8, according to the SIA notice, which was first posted shortly past midnight.

SIA said Flight SQ951 departing from Jakarta on Sept 8 at 5.25am local time had been cancelled.

The following six flights have been retimed (all times local):

Singapore to Jakarta

• SQ950 originally scheduled to depart at 0620hrs, will now depart at 1310hrs

• SQ952 originally scheduled to depart at 0740hrs, will now depart at 1340hrs

• SQ956 originally scheduled to depart at 0905hrs, will now depart at 1930hrs

Jakarta to Singapore

• SQ953 originally scheduled to depart at 0805hrs, will now depart at 1450hrs

• SQ955 originally scheduled to depart at 0925hrs, will now depart at 1535hrs

• SQ957 originally scheduled to depart at 1100hrs, will now depart at 2125hrs

SIA said as the situation remains fluid, customers should visit its Flight Status page for the latest information on their flights.

Those who need assistance on rebooking or have further enquiries can contact the airline at +65 6351-0013 or through its online chat.

For bookings made through travel agents or partner airlines, customers are advised to contact their travel agent or purchasing airline for assistance.

SIA also urged customers to update their contact details via the “Manage Booking” function on its website or subscribe to a mobile notification service to receive updates to their flight status.

Eight airports, including the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, halted operations over the weekend after ash was detected in their airspace, disrupting nearly 3,000 flights and leaving more than 340,000 passengers stranded, the Transport Ministry reported on Sept 7.

However, early on Sept 8, Indonesia’s transport ministry posted on Instagram that Jakarta’s airport and four others near the city or around the island of Java are operating again.

The other four listed as reopening include Halim Perdanakusuma, a smaller Jakarta-area airport for both civil and military flights, and Hussein Sastranegara in Bandung, the capital of West Java.