Tjilik Riwut Airport adjusts flight schedules amid heavy haze

Palangka Raya - Flight activities at Tjilik Riwut Airport in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, are currently continuing with adjustments, as haze caused by forest and land fires (karhutla) persists.

“In general, flights continue to operate with adjustments (delays/rescheduling) when visibility decreases,” said I Made Darmawan, General Manager of the Tjilik Riwut Airport Branch Office, in Palangka Raya on Tuesday.

Cancellations and diversions are only implemented during extreme conditions, specifically when visibility drops significantly below the minimum safety thresholds for landing or take-off, as occurred between 29–31 August 2026.

He explained that Tjilik Riwut Airport may also adjust its operational hours if required by airlines. For passengers experiencing flight delays due to the forest fire disaster, the airport provides free service recovery within the waiting area.

“We always provide the latest updates regarding flight operations, following discussions with other relevant stakeholders,” he explained.

Furthermore, he noted that based on daily visibility monitoring, conditions from late July to the present (latest data as of 1 September 2026) remain fluctuant. The worst period was recorded from 29–31 August 2026, when morning visibility dropped to between 250–800 metres, forcing several flights to be cancelled or diverted. Entering early September, conditions are gradually improving, although morning visibility remains unstable, recorded at 1,300 metres at 08:00 WIB.

Based on the recapitulation from 27 July–31 August 2026, approximately 20 instances of flight operational disruptions were recorded due to visibility falling below minimum levels. These included eight cancellations, four diversions to Sepinggan Airport in Balikpapan, two return-to-origin (RTB) incidents, two go-arounds or waiting at origin, and four delays.

The peak of the disruption occurred on 30–31 August 2026, when several flights from airlines including IU, QG, JT, GA, ID, and SI experienced consecutive cancellations and diversions in a single day as visibility fell below 1,000 metres.

Currently, flight frequency remains stable at approximately 10 flights across various routes, with an average of 2,397 passengers per day during August 2026.

Available flight routes include Jakarta (CGK), Surabaya (SUB), Semarang (SRG), Yogyakarta (YIA), and Balikpapan (BPN), as well as several pioneer routes such as Kuala Pembuang, Muara Teweh, and Puruk Cahu.