Antara News·Indonesia·Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at 04:04 AM UTC

Indonesia says no airports closed despite wildfire impacts

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M.Harianto, Rahmad Nasution

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Transportation Ministry said no airports have closed because of forest and land fires, although weather and poor visibility have forced flight-schedule changes.

Lukman F. Laisa, the ministry's director general of civil aviation, said all airports remained open, with flight schedules adjusted to weather conditions in affected areas.

"No airports have been closed," Lukman said in Jakarta on Monday, October 26.

At Pontianak Airport, for example, daytime flights were shifted to nighttime, when clearer weather allowed operations to continue.

"Flights that could previously operate during the day in Pontianak were moved to nighttime when the weather was clear. Flights are still operating," he said.

From October 18 to 25, forest and land fires affected 78 airports under various national airport management arrangements, Lukman said.

Of these, 70 were managed by airport operating units or regional technical implementation units, seven by Angkasa Pura and one by a private operator.

Between August 14 and October 25, a total of 3,030 flights were affected across 154 routes, with about 1,700 flights canceled.

The hardest-hit routes served Pontianak, Singkawang, Palangkaraya and Pangkalan Bun. Meanwhile, 617 pioneer flights were affected in Papua, Kalimantan and Maluku.

The government has authorized aircraft to support efforts to address the impact of forest and land fires, Lukman said.

The Transportation Ministry has issued all necessary permits for 42 helicopters to support wildfire response operations.

The number of affected airports in Papua has fallen from 12 to seven as weather improves and flight operations become smoother, he said.

"The number of affected airports is declining. Papua went from 12 to seven, and the rainy season is beginning, allowing flights to operate more smoothly," he said.

The Transportation Ministry issued Ministerial Circular No. SE MHB 4 of 2026, urging greater vigilance against wildfire risks to transportation facilities and infrastructure.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation also issued Circular No. SE 19 of 2026 on mitigating the effects of forest and land fires on flight operations.

The circular was distributed to flight operators, airport managers, domestic and international airlines, and private airport operators.

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