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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Energy & Infrastructure

Indonesia Orders Airlines to Offer Refunds and Rescheduling After Eight Airports Close

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • Indonesia’s transportation minister directed airlines to provide refunds or rescheduling for passengers affected by the temporary closure of eight airports after the Mount Anak Krakatau eruption.
  • Airlines may use alternative airports, while the government and InJourney Airports will provide free ground transport for passengers whose flights are diverted.
  • The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said passengers whose flights were cancelled because of volcanic ash-related operating conditions qualify for a full refund.

Indonesia has ordered airlines to protect passengers’ rights after volcanic ash from the Mount Anak Krakatau eruption forced eight airports to suspend operations.

Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi directed all airlines to let affected passengers reschedule their flights or receive refunds. “We have conveyed that all airlines must facilitate passengers’ rights to reschedule or obtain ticket refunds,” he said in Jakarta on September 6. He added that the ministry had not yet received reports of airlines processing refunds, although operators had been instructed to comply with the applicable rules.

The ministry has also approved the use of alternative airports while the closures remain in effect. The airports listed include Kertajati in Majalengka, Ahmad Yani in Semarang, Juanda in Surabaya, Yogyakarta International and Adi Soemarmo in Solo. Airlines may use them for departures and arrivals depending on operational needs and the changing spread of volcanic ash.

We have conveyed that all airlines must facilitate passengers’ rights to reschedule or obtain ticket refunds.

· Dudy PurwagandhiIndonesia’s transportation minister directed airlines to assist passengers affected by the airport closures.

The government and InJourney Airports will provide free ground transport, including trains and buses, for passengers whose flights are diverted from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, to the alternative airports. Airlines will contact passengers directly about diversions. Passengers can continue their journeys through the assigned airport or cancel, depending on their needs and the available service policies.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed that passengers whose flights were cancelled because airport operations were affected by volcanic ash qualify for a full refund. Director General Lukman F. Laisa said, “Regarding flight cancellations or refunds, a 100 percent refund applies.” He described the policy as a public service intended to prevent passengers from suffering financial losses because of cancellations made for flight-safety reasons.

We have not yet received reports (of airlines serving refunds).

· Dudy PurwagandhiThe minister acknowledged that the government had not yet received reports showing airlines had processed refunds.
About this summary

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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