Indonesian haze from forest fires disrupts over 2,000 domestic flights

Since 20 Oct 2026 · Checked 25 Oct 2026, 05:01 UTC

As of 21 October, smoke from forest and land fires continues to disrupt Indonesian domestic flights, with no end date announced. Ministry of Transportation data as of 19 October counts 2,604 affected flights since 11 August: 1,129 delayed, 1,420 cancelled or postponed, 23 diverted and six returned to their departure airport. Ten airlines have been affected; in the figures to 9 October, Citilink Indonesia had the most disrupted flights (478), followed by NAM Air, Wings Air and Super Air Jet, and Wings Air had the most cancellations. Pekanbaru (PKY) has seen repeated delays and diversions when visibility fell below the minimum threshold, and tour trips have also been cancelled or rerouted.

What travellers should do

Check flight status with your airline before travelling to or from smoke-affected airports such as Pekanbaru, and allow extra time. If your flight is delayed or cancelled, ask the airline about rebooking or a refund.

Latest updates

  1. 25 Oct 2026, 05:01 UTC

    No new official figures have been published since the 19 October Transportation Ministry update; the event remains active as of 25 October.

  2. 24 Oct 2026, 17:01 UTC

    Ministry of Transportation data as of 19 October (reported 21 October) put disrupted domestic flights at 2,604, up from 1,673 in the 9 October figures, and named the most affected airlines.

Your rights if your flight is affected

  • Cancelled flight: you can usually choose a full refund or a new flight, even when the cancellation isn't the airline's fault. Ask for a refund to your original payment, not just a voucher.
  • Flights departing the EU or UK, or flown by an EU or UK airline into them: on top of a refund you may be owed €250–€600 (or £220–£520) for a cancellation with less than 14 days' notice, or a delay of 3 hours or more on arrival.
  • No compensation is due for extraordinary circumstances such as severe weather, security threats, airport or airspace closures and air traffic control strikes. Strikes by the airline's own staff usually do count.
  • While you wait, airlines covered by EU and UK rules must provide meals and, if needed, a hotel. Keep receipts for anything you pay yourself.

Airports affected

Airlines affected

Sources: Skies shut down: Indonesia's haze chaos grounds 2,600 flights since Aug, Forest fires and haze disrupt tourism operations across Indonesia, Forest Fires Disrupt 1,673 Flights in Indonesia

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