Extreme Weather Strikes Juanda Airport, Flights Disrupted
Severe weather comprising heavy rain and strong winds struck the area around Juanda International Airport in Sidoarjo, East Java, on Sunday, 15 March. Several facilities were damaged, one staff member was injured, and dozens of flights were disrupted.
General Manager of Juanda International Airport, Muhammad Tohir, confirmed that the adverse weather caused several trees in the Cargo Terminal area to fall.
The winds and fallen trees also damaged one Toll Gate post at the airport and injured a staff member on duty.
“The incident resulted in one Toll Gate post being damaged at Juanda Airport and caused one Toll Gate staff member to sustain injury. The staff member has been treated by a team from the Large-scale Health Quarantine Centre,” said Tohir.
Despite the facility damage, management assured that the overall terminal facilities and airside area remain in safe condition. Field teams were immediately deployed to clear fallen tree debris so that airport operations could return to normal.
“Our team has taken action and cleared the area to restore normality whilst prioritising safety,” he added.
15 Flight schedules disrupted
Due to the extreme weather, at least 15 flight schedules experienced disruption. This included 9 flights experiencing delays, 4 flights diverted to nearby airports such as Semarang and Bali, and 2 flights that took off but had to return to Juanda Airport (return to base).
Several affected airlines included Lion Air, Super Air Jet, Citilink, Batik Air, AirAsia, and international carrier Malaysia Airlines.
“We continue to coordinate with airlines and AirNav Indonesia regarding adjustments to subsequent flight schedules,” emphasised Tohir.
The management of Juanda Airport is now coordinating with the Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) to monitor weather developments to ensure flight operational safety. Prospective passengers were advised to proactively check the status of their departures.
“The management of Juanda International Airport advises prospective passengers to monitor the latest information regarding their flight status through their respective airlines or our contact centre at 172,” he said.