Jakarta (ANTARA) - The eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau has disrupted\nflight operations across several parts of Indonesia. Volcanic ash\ndispersal forced a number of airports to close temporarily in the\ninterest of aviation safety.<\/p>\n
On Sunday (6\/9), the Ministry of Transport said eight airports were\naffected by the temporary closures: Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang,\nHalim Perdanakusuma in Jakarta, Radin Inten II in Lampung, Husein\nSastranegara in Bandung, Budiarto in Curug, Tangerang, Pondok Cabe in\nSouth Tangerang, Taufik Kiemas in West Pesisir, Lampung, and Atung\nBungsu in Pagar Alam. The closures were later extended until Monday\n(7\/9) at 09.00 Western Indonesian Time owing to the dynamic spread of\nvolcanic ash and wind direction.<\/p>\n
The impact has been considerable. The Ministry of Transport recorded\nthat as many as 1,558 flights were affected by the closure of the eight\nairports. Flights from other regions were also cancelled because air\nroutes to Jakarta and the affected areas were not yet safe to use.<\/p>\n
At El Tari Airport in Kupang, for instance, eight flights on the\nKupang-Jakarta route and vice versa were cancelled on Monday morning.\nAirlines affected included Garuda Indonesia, Citilink, Batik Air and\nSuper Airjet. Passengers were given the option of rescheduling or\nreceiving a ticket refund in accordance with airline policies.<\/p>\n
The situation serves as a reminder that flight cancellations can\nhappen at any time, particularly when weather conditions, volcanic\nactivity, technical problems or other safety concerns prevent an\naircraft from operating.<\/p>\n
So what should you do if your flight is suddenly cancelled?<\/p>\n
The first thing to do is to stay calm and seek official information.\nA flight cancellation can certainly disrupt travel plans, but airlines\nwill usually offer handling options for affected passengers.<\/p>\n
Do not rely solely on information from social media or chain\nmessages. Check your flight status through the airline\u2019s app, official\nwebsite, customer service or airport staff.<\/p>\n
It is important to know the cause of the cancellation, as the form of\nassistance may differ. A cancellation due to safety factors such as\nextreme weather or volcanic ash is of course different from one caused\nby the airline\u2019s operational reasons.<\/p>\n
In the case of the Mount Anak Krakatau eruption, for example,\nairports were closed because volcanic ash can endanger flight safety.\nThe government stressed that airports would only reopen once conditions\nwere deemed safe.<\/p>\n
Once you have confirmation that your flight has indeed been\ncancelled, immediately ask the airline about the options available.<\/p>\n
Generally, passengers may be offered a change of flight schedule or a\nrefund in accordance with applicable rules. Minister of Transport Dudy\nPurwagandhi also asked airlines to fulfil the rights of passengers\naffected by the airport closures through refund and rescheduling\nservices.<\/p>\n
If your travel schedule can still be changed, rescheduling can be a\npractical option. However, if the trip is no longer necessary, you can\nask about the ticket refund mechanism.<\/p>\n
When a flight is cancelled, it is natural to want to find a\nreplacement ticket straight away. However, it is best not to buy a new\nticket before knowing the options offered by the airline.<\/p>\n
The airline may provide a replacement flight or transfer your flight\nto an alternative airport. During the closures caused by the Anak\nKrakatau eruption, the Ministry of Transport prepared several\nalternative airports, including Kertajati, Juanda, Yogyakarta\nInternational Airport, as well as airports in Semarang and Solo.\nPassengers whose flights were diverted could also obtain alternative\ntransport by road.<\/p>\n
Keep your ticket, boarding pass if you have already checked in, proof\nof cancellation, and records of communication with the airline. These\ndocuments can be useful when claiming a refund, rescheduling or other\nservices from the airline.<\/p>\n
If you bought your ticket through a travel agent or booking platform,\nalso check the cancellation procedures through that platform.<\/p>\n
If the cancellation leaves you waiting at the airport for a long time\nor even staying overnight, ask the airline about the forms of assistance\nprovided to affected passengers.<\/p>\n
Do not assume all airlines have the same policies. Make sure you\nfirst establish what facilities are available and the procedures for\nobtaining them.<\/p>\n
The reopening of airports closed due to particular conditions can\nchange according to the situation on the ground. Therefore, do not rely\nsolely on the original schedule.<\/p>\n
In the case of the Anak Krakatau eruption, the Ministry of Transport\ncontinued to monitor the spread of volcanic ash and carried out periodic\ntesting of airport conditions. The government also stressed that safety\nremains the priority before flight operations resume.<\/p>\n
Therefore, before heading to the airport, make sure you re-check your\nflight status through the airline\u2019s official channels. This can spare\nyou a wasted journey to the airport when your flight is still delayed or\ncancelled, as summarised from various sources.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/flight-suddenly-cancelled-here-are-7-things-you-should-do-1788799929", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }