Volcanic Ashes Disrupts Flights Schedules

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Volcanic ashes of Mount Raung in Bondowoso, East Java, has disrupted flight schedules in a number cities in the country.
There are seven flights all Citilink Indonesia's from Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma to Surabays cancelled on Thursday as the Juanda airport of the East Java capital city has been closed.

Another flight of Batik Air from Malang in East Java to Hali, was also cancelled, operation manager of state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura ii Ibut Astono said here on Thursday.

The government has issued a Notice to Airmen and closed the Juanda airport of Surabaya and Abdurahman Saleh airport of Malang.

Many travelers mostly Muslims wanting to cerebrate Idul Fitri with relatives on Friday were stranded at airports.
Citilink's President Director Albert Burhan said altogether, the airline had to cancel 28 of its flights from and to Juanda airport ort nearby airports in East Java after the notice to airmen issued by airport authorities.

The flights cancelled include those from Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma and Soekarno Hatta airports, Banjarmasin's Balikpapan airport, Makassar airport, Denpasar,s Ngurah Rai airport and from Surabaya, Albert said here.

A number of other airlines such as Garuda Indonesia and AirAsia have also been reported cancelling flights for the same reason.
Earlier international flights from Australia to Bali were also cancelled
Albert said he hoped Citilink could resume flights again soon depending notice from the airport authorities.

"Hopefully,the condition would be normal tomorrow and many people would not be too late in celebrating Idul Fitri with their relatives," he said.

Earlier on Thursday the Sultan Baabullah Airport in Ternate, North Maluku, was closed after Mount Gamalama erupted spewing volcanic ashes.

The people in the North Maluku city were jolted by tremors when Mount Gamalama erupted that morning. (WDY)