Belitung-Jakarta flights resume operations

Flights to and from Jakarta at H.AS Hanandjoeddin International Airport in Belitung Regency, Bangka Belitung Islands Province, gradually resumed operations on Tuesday, after being affected by the temporary closure of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, due to the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau.

General Manager of H.AS Hanandjoeddin International Airport, Tri Yudi Anshary, said in Tanjungpandan on Tuesday that restoring the Jakarta route is an important step towards re-establishing air connectivity for the Belitung region.

“We are ensuring that flight services are recovering whilst continuing to prioritise the safety, security and comfort of passengers,” he said.

According to him, flights to Jakarta from H.AS Hanandjoeddin International Airport have been gradually returning to normal since Tuesday.

He explained that operational disruptions occurred from Sunday (6/9) until Tuesday morning (8/9), resulting in a number of flight cancellations on the Jakarta route, along with the affected prospective passengers.

As a form of handling, he continued, airport management implemented Service Recovery Activation (SRA) procedures to help prospective passengers affected by the cancellations.

“We distributed snacks, drinks and masks, and readied personnel to provide direct assistance on the ground,” he said.

He said the SRA measures form part of the management’s service commitment and are an expression of empathy towards passengers who experienced flight schedule disruptions.

“We also urge all prospective passengers to continue monitoring flight schedule updates from their respective airlines or to contact the InJourney Airports service centre before heading to the airport, in order to prevent a build-up of passengers,” he said.