Haze disrupts flights in Indonesia and worsens air quality in Malaysia

Thick haze from forest and land fires disrupted flights in Indonesia on Wednesday, while 36 areas in neighbouring Malaysia recorded unhealthy air quality, local media reported.

Two flights from Jakarta could not land at Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport in Pekanbaru, Riau province, after visibility fell to about 600 metres, Indonesia’s state-run “Antara” news agency reported.

Lion Air flight JT292 returned to Jakarta, while Citilink flight QG936 was diverted to Batam in the Riau Islands, airport authorities said. The Lion Air flight turned back at 6:44 a.m. local time, “Detik” reported.

Haze also reduced visibility in Batam to between two and three kilometres, “Detik” reported, citing Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency. The agency said smoke from fires in other parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan had drifted into Batam and nearby areas.

In Malaysia, 36 areas recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index readings as of 10 a.m. local time, “The Star” reported, citing the country’s Air Pollutant Index Management System.

Johan Setia in Selangor recorded the highest reading, at 191. Cheras in Kuala Lumpur and Nilai in Negeri Sembilan each recorded 189.

Malaysian authorities said Indonesia had accepted Kuala Lumpur’s offer to help fight the fires, including through aerial water bombing and amphibious aircraft. The two countries are coordinating the deployment of firefighting assets through diplomatic channels.