Kalimantan Wildfires Delay 21 Flights at Supadio Airport

Smoke from forest and land fires in West Kalimantan has severely impacted operations at Supadio Airport in Pontianak, leading to widespread flight delays. Between August 18 and August 21, 2026, a total of 21 flights were postponed because morning visibility frequently fell below the required 1,000 meters.

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The delays occurred because morning visibility fell below 1,000 meters. Delays have been happening since August 18, especially for morning flights. Up to now, 21 morning flights have been affected by delays.

Joko Wahyudi, Head of Communication and CSR at Supadio Airport, reported that the delays primarily affected morning flights. Visibility between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB) has been as low as 400 to 800 meters due to dense haze. Aircraft require a minimum visibility threshold to land safely, making the haze a direct impediment to flight operations.

Of the 21 affected flights, the majority were departures, with only about three to four arrival flights experiencing delays. These delays typically ranged from one to two hours. The airport authorities are continuously assessing visibility conditions, which have steadily deteriorated over the past three days, especially in the morning.

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However, conditions this morning were very limited, ranging between 400 and 800 meters. So, it is well below 1,000 meters.

Supadio Airport is coordinating closely with the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), and local authorities in Kubu Raya Regency to monitor the evolving smoke density and visibility. Passengers scheduled for morning departures are strongly advised to routinely verify their flight status with their respective airlines, as conditions can change rapidly. Aviation safety remains the top priority in all operational decisions.

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We can only advise all passengers with morning departures to periodically check their flight status through their respective airlines.