JAKARTA - Four airports, which are Juanda Airport Surabaya, Adi Sutjipto Airport Yogyakarta, Adi Soemarmo Airport Solo and Ahmad Yani Airport Semarang, under PT Angkasa Pura I management are closed due to exposure volcanic ash of Kelud Mountain explosion.
This closing is to ensure safety of aviation. Volcanic ash is considered dangerious for airplane performace and disturb flight routes from and to several airports in Java. Related to this condition, Directorate of Civil Aviation has issued Ash Volcanic Hazard to Airmen (ASHTAM) Number 0370/14 dated February 14th, 2014 on 10.56 WIB.
Based on such ASHTAM, the followings are Notice To Airmen (NOTAM) which are issued by Directorate General of Civil Aviation to four airports under Angkasa Pura Airport management:
1. Juanda Airport Surabaya, No. NOTAM A0256/14, closed until Februari 15th, 2014 at 06.00 WIB.
2. Adi Soemarmo Airport Solo, No. NOTAM B0191/14, closed until Februari 15th, 2014 at 07.39 WIB.
3. Adisutjipto Airport Yogyakarta, No. NOTAM B0192/14, closed until Februari 15th, 2014 at 07.30 WIB.
4. Ahmad Yani Airport Semarang, No. NOTAM B0194/14, closed until Februari 15th, 2014 at 06.00 WIB.
The closing of those airports are changeable conform to Kelud Mountain activity. Passangers could obtain information of airport operation by contacting the following information centers:
1. Juanda Airport Surabaya : 031-2986432/031-2986433
2. Adi Soemarmo Airport Solo : 08122989884/081222623135
3. Adisutjipto Airport Yogyakarta : 0274-488240
4. Ahmad Yani Airport Semarang : 0274-607596
The cancelled flights in February 14th, 2014 were:
1. Juanda Airport Surabaya = 166 flights
2. Adi Soemarmo Airport Solo = 14 flights
3. Adisutjipto Airport Yogyakarta = 55 flights
4. Ahmad Yani Airport Semarang = 38 flights
In addition to four airports of Angkasa Pura Airports, the closing was also happened in Tunggul Wulung Airport Cilacap, Abdurrahman Saleh Airport Malang and Husein Sastranegara Airport Bandung.
According to Press Release of Directorate General of Civil Aviation Number 5/HMS/II/2014 dated February 14th, 2014, considering on the Volcanic activity of Kelud Mountain including force majeure, the airlines cancel the flight due to the routes affected by volcanic ash are released from the obligation of indemnify in accordance with the Regulation of Transportation Minister No. PM 77 Year 2011. The airlines are expected to clearly inform cancellation of flight and the mechanism of refund as well as ease the intended process to the passangers.
[Arif Haryanto]
