INACA Urges Government to Expedite Forest and Land Fire Response, Here’s Why

JAKARTA, Jakartaweekly.com — The Indonesian National Air Carriers Association (INACA) is concerned that forest and land fires (karhutla) currently occurring across much of Indonesia could disrupt national air connectivity if they are not addressed promptly.

INACA Chairman Denon Prawiraatmadja said the association hopes the government can accelerate efforts to tackle forest and land fires across the country to minimize their impact on air travel.

“We appreciate the Government for moving swiftly to address the forest and land fires currently occurring across Indonesia, from Sumatra and Kalimantan to Sulawesi and Papua. These efforts need to be accelerated through cooperation among all stakeholders so that they do not disrupt air connectivity and the national economy,” he said in Jakarta on Friday, August 28, 2026.

He said the impact of the forest and land fires currently occurring across the country could be serious for flight operations as well as air passengers.

For flight operations, he explained, the fires can reduce visibility due to haze, particularly around airports. Such conditions can force aircraft to enter holding patterns, cause flight delays, require flight diversions, or lead to cancellations while waiting for the haze to clear.

The resulting haze can also prompt air traffic controllers (ATC) to increase the separation distance between aircraft, particularly during takeoffs and landings.

Moreover, flight safety could also be compromised. Smoke particulates, soot, and ash can contaminate aircraft engine air filters, clog sensitive pitot-static tubes, and accelerate wear on internal engine components if continuously ingested.

He warned that a flight delay at one airport caused by forest and land fires could trigger delays at other airports due to the cascading effects on flight operations.

“These operational disruptions will also increase airlines’ operating costs,” he said.

He explained that higher operating costs could result from additional fuel consumption when aircraft are required to hold before landing, passenger compensation for delays, ticket refunds, disruptions to aircraft rotations and flight crew scheduling, as well as other related impacts.

Meanwhile, the impact on air passengers includes potential health problems caused by heavy smoke, particularly when traveling to, inside, and leaving airport areas.

“Passengers’ plans and interests will also be disrupted if flights are delayed,” he added.

On the same occasion, INACA Secretary-General Bayu Sutanto said the forest and land fires that have occurred throughout August 2026 have already affected various aspects of air transportation.

First, flight operations at Supadio Airport in Pontianak and Singkawang Airport in West Kalimantan have been disrupted by visibility dropping below 1,000 meters, resulting in more than 21 flight delays, diversions, and cancellations.

Second, flights at Iskandar Airport in Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan, have also been disrupted, causing a number of flight delays.

Delays have also occurred at Syamsudin Noor Airport in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, after visibility fell to as low as 200 meters.

“There have also been holding patterns and flight diversions to Sultan Thaha Saifuddin Airport in Jambi due to haze, which reduced visibility to as low as 800 meters. Flights around Douw Aturure Airport in Nabire, Central Papua, have also been disrupted, resulting in delays to a number of flights,” he said.