Jakarta. Severe weather over Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Monday disrupted flight operations, forcing dozens of aircraft to circle in the skies over Jakarta and divert to alternative airports, air traffic authorities said.

Widodo, general manager of AirNav Indonesia’s Jakarta Air Traffic Service Center (JATSC), said deteriorating weather conditions from early morning led to heavy congestion in the airspace, with some aircraft required to remain in holding patterns for up to 20 to 30 minutes.

“Conditions started to worsen at around 7:30 a.m. Several aircraft were unable to land and had to hold in the air,” Widodo said. “Each holding area can accommodate up to four aircraft, and we have eight holding areas.”

At one point, around 30 to 35 aircraft were simultaneously waiting in the air for clearance to land, he said. By 2:15 p.m., AirNav recorded 34 flights that were unable to land as scheduled and were diverted to other airports, while 12 flights experienced aborted landings, although some later succeeded on subsequent attempts.

“Some aircraft that initially failed to land were able to retry and land safely. This is part of our efforts to ensure flight safety at Soekarno-Hatta,” Widodo said.

To ease congestion, AirNav coordinated with relevant authorities to divert flights to alternative airports, including Yogyakarta, Palembang, Solo, and Pangkal Pinang, as well as Singapore for international services. Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta was also used as an option, although not all aircraft were able to divert there.

Widodo said diversion decisions were made based on airlines’ filed flight plans and the capacity of destination airports, with coordination carried out through the Indonesia Network Management Center (INMC), the national air traffic coordinator.

One aircraft opted to return to its point of origin, flying back to Singapore. Of the roughly 1,100 daily flight movements at Soekarno-Hatta, most of the affected flights were domestic services, Widodo said.

Despite the disruption, he stressed there were no technical issues with the airport’s runways. AirNav implemented traffic management measures, including restricting departures through a pre-departure clearance system.

“We temporarily halted departures for one to two hours to give aircraft in holding patterns the opportunity to land safely,” Widodo said.

Flight operations gradually returned to normal at around 3:30 p.m. as weather conditions improved. AirNav has urged airlines and pilots to remain patient and comply with all aviation regulations.

While weather-related congestion is not uncommon at Indonesia’s busiest airport, Widodo said all navigation equipment and support systems were functioning properly. “With advanced equipment and the professionalism of our air traffic controllers, we are committed to providing the best possible service to ensure flight safety,” he said.

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