Wildfires Disrupt 2,458 Domestic Flights, Smoke Haze Spreads to Sulawesi and Maluku

Jakarta – Haze caused by Forest and Land Fires continues to disrupt Air Transportation across Indonesia. The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) recorded 2,458 scheduled domestic flights were impacted over the period 11 August to 17 October 2026.

This figure marks an increase of 437 affected flights compared to data logged on 13 October 2026, which had previously counted 2,021 disrupted services.

Lukman F. Laisa, Director General of Civil Aviation at the Ministry of Transportation, confirmed flight disruptions remain under active monitoring, driven primarily by severely reduced visibility at multiple airports due to the smoke haze.

Of all impacted flights: 1,080 suffered delays, 1,324 were cancelled or rescheduled, 22 were diverted to alternate airports, 6 performed an emergency return to departure base, and 26 operated with an accelerated departure schedule.

Haze Spreads To Sulawesi And Maluku Regions

Previously concentrated only across Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua, the haze impact has now expanded to cover locations in Sulawesi, Maluku and North Maluku. This geographical spread was documented between 13–17 October 2026.

In Central Sulawesi, affected airports include Mutiara SIS Al-Jufrie (Palu), Maleo (Morowali), Syukuran Aminuddin Amir (Luwuk) and Sultan Bantilan (Tolitoli).

Disruptions were also recorded at Sangia Nibandera Airport Kolaka and Betoambari Airport Baubau in Southeast Sulawesi, plus Toraja Airport in South Sulawesi.

Meanwhile in North Maluku, impacted facilities are Sultan Babullah Airport Ternate and Oesman Sadik Airport Labuha. Within Maluku province, disruptions have been confirmed at Pattimura Airport Ambon and Karel Sadsuitubun Airport Langgur.

Airports across Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua continue to report impacts. In total, this haze event is currently affecting 26 separate airports across Indonesia.

International Flights And Remote Pioneer Routes Also Cancelled

Disruptions from the wildfires have also impacted international air services. A total of 14 international flights were cancelled due to haze: 12 round-trip Singapore-Pontianak services between 12-23 September 2026, plus 2 round-trip Singapore-Palembang flights on 15 October 2026.

Additionally, 22 remote pioneer route flights were grounded by haze on 16 October 2026, including 2 dedicated cargo services.

These cancellations were distributed across four locations: 6 flights at Singkep, 4 flights at Kuala Pembuang, 6 flights at Tanah Merah, and 6 flights at Gorontalo.

Separate from wildfire impacts, the Ministry of Transportation also logged 20 domestic scheduled flight cancellations for unrelated causes. These include Volcanic Ash emissions from Mount Lewotolok and Mount Dukono, severe weather, strong winds, plus aircraft maintenance and technical faults.

Transport Ministry Tightens Safety Mitigation Protocols

As reported by state news agency ANTARA, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has ordered airport operators in affected regions to activate formal Low Visibility Procedures (LVP) to uphold flight safety standards.

Implementation of these protocols is being coordinated with AirNav Indonesia and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). Airport operators are also instructed to issue official Notices to Airmen (NOTAM), boost airside operational readiness, and maintain uninterrupted passenger support services.

Required passenger support includes providing real-time updated flight status information and distributing protective face masks.

Meanwhile aerial water bombing firefighting operations remain ongoing. Between 20 April and 16 October 2026, 38 aircraft operated by 11 separate contractors completed 5,179 flight cycles supporting suppression efforts.

Airports in impacted zones are also supporting operations via dedicated parking zones for firefighting aircraft, priority flight slot allocation, wildfire monitoring command posts, water source mapping assistance and dedicated fuel supplies.

Passengers Advised To Monitor Official Airline Updates

The Ministry of Transportation has urged the public to remain calm and patient regarding potential schedule changes caused by the haze. Passengers are explicitly reminded to only obtain flight information from verified official sources.

Before travelling to the airport, all travellers are strongly advised to confirm flight status directly via the official communication channels of their operating airline. This step is critical to anticipate delays, rescheduling, cancellations or adjusted departure times.

Amidst the expanding impact of this haze event, safety remains the non-negotiable top priority for all flight operations, particularly during conditions of reduced visibility around airport facilities.