Tangerang. Escalating tensions in the Middle East following Israeli and US strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 have begun to significantly disrupt international flight operations at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, with 60 flights canceled over the past five days.

Aziz Fahmi Harahap, acting assistant deputy for communication and legal at Bandar Udara Soekarno-Hatta, said the cancellations occurred between Feb. 28 and March 3.

“There have been 60 flight cancellations, consisting of 28 departures and 32 arrivals,” Fahmi told reporters at Terminal 3 on Tuesday morning.

As of 7 a.m. local time on Tuesday alone, 15 international flights had been called off. The affected routes are largely services to major Middle Eastern hubs operated by international carriers.

“Today’s cancellations are dominated by routes to Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai,” Fahmi said, adding that the impacted airlines include Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways.

Despite the disruptions, direct flights to Saudi Arabia for the Islamic umrah pilgrimage remain unaffected. Services to Jeddah operated by Saudia, as well as charter flights by Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air, continue to operate as scheduled, he said.

Airport authorities are coordinating closely with the Airport Operation Control Center, AirNav Indonesia and other aviation stakeholders to ensure services remain smooth, Fahmi added. So far, there have been no reports of significant passenger congestion at the terminals, as airlines have communicated schedule changes in a timely manner.

Affected carriers are offering passengers options including refunds, rescheduling, and rerouting.

Fahmi urged travelers to regularly check their flight status through the airport’s official social media account @soekarnohattaairport or contact InJourney Airports’ customer service hotline at 172 for further information.

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