Dozens of flights at Soekarno-Hatta Airport diverted due to extreme weather

Tangerang (ANTARA) - PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia (InJourney Airports) in Tangerang, Banten, on Monday, carried out several flight diversions due to extreme weather, particularly during the landing phase at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (Soetta). Assistant Deputy for Communication and Legal at PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport Branch Office, Yudistiawan, stated that the diversions were caused by heavy rain accompanied by the potential for windshear or changes in wind direction that could disrupt flight activities. “These conditions impacted several flight movements, especially during the landing phase at Soekarno-Hatta Airport,” he said. He explained that according to data from the Airport Operation Control Center (AOCC), 12 flights were diverted to other airports. This was done as a measure to maintain safety in flight activities at Soekarno-Hatta Airport. In addition, there were 14 flights that performed holding procedures, 13 flights conducted go-arounds, and one flight returned to the apron (Return to Apron/RTA). “Flight safety and security remain the top priority in every operational decision-making process,” he said. He added that Soekarno-Hatta Airport authorities are now intensively coordinating with AirNav Indonesia, airlines, and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that flight operations continue to run safely, orderly, and under control amid unfavourable weather conditions. On the other hand, he said, the impact of this extreme weather has also damaged several facilities, particularly the roof of Terminal 3 at Soekarno-Hatta Airport. “This extreme weather has also caused a disruption at one point on the roof in the Boarding Lounge Gate 7 area of Terminal 3,” he said. Yudistiawan stated that all airside facilities such as the runway, taxiway, and apron are ensured to be in good condition and can continue to operate normally without any puddles that could hinder aircraft movements. “The area is currently clean, and the situation has returned to conducive conditions, with airport operations running smoothly,” he said. Furthermore, he mentioned that airport personnel are conducting 24-hour surveillance of all facilities, including building infrastructure, so that if any potential disruption is observed, the surrounding area will be sterilised from passengers and airport workers to minimise the impact. “As a precautionary measure, airport users are urged to always monitor flight schedule updates through official airline channels or information screens at the airport, and to arrive earlier to anticipate any schedule adjustments due to weather conditions,” he said.