Manado. State-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura (AP) I at Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado, North Sulawesi, has extended the flight closure from and to Manado until Sunday at 12:00 p.m. local time (or 11:00 a.m. Jakarta time) due to the eruption of Mount Ruang in the Sitaro Islands Regency, North Sulawesi.

Sam Ratulangi Airport Public Relations Officer Yanti Pramono said this decision was based on the latest Notice to Airmen (Notam) issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Transportation.

Maya Damayanti, the General Manager of Sam Ratulangi International Airport, Manado, said the extension was made considering safety concerns. "It is not yet safe for aircraft flights," said Maya on Saturday.

She added that it would be very dangerous if volcanic ash were attached to the aircraft.

Dozens of flights from and to Manado and Ternate, from Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Maros Regency, South Sulawesi, had to be canceled due to the spread of volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Ruang in Siau Tagulandang Biaro Regency, North Sulawesi.

For the past two days, hundreds of passengers destined for Manado and Ternate have been taking turns queuing at the Lion Group and Citilink airline ticket counters at Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport.

Hundreds of passengers failed to depart due to the eruption of Mount Ruang. In addition to the canceled flights to Manado, flights to Ternate were also canceled due to the observation of volcanic ash from Mount Ruang being carried by the wind along the flight path.

"I'm going to Ternate. The delay is because of the eruption, as a result of what's happening in Manado," said Udin, one of the passengers heading to Ternate.

Currently, volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Ruang is still observed at an altitude of 15,000 feet, which has the potential to damage aircraft engines during flight. Therefore, Angkasa Pura has also advised airlines not to sell tickets to Manado until Sam Ratulangi Airport resumes operations.

"We have advised our airlines not to sell tickets to Manado for the time being," said Taochid Purnomo Hadi, General Manager of Angkasa Pura I at Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

In the past two days, there have been 14 flights from Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport that have been canceled and diverted.

To minimize the losses for the passengers, the airlines have refunded all tickets until Sam Ratulangi Airport resumes operations.

Meanwhile, Indonesia AirAsia has canceled flights to and from Kinabalu, Malaysia starting Thursday due to the eruption.

"Based on the latest developments and company policies, Indonesia AirAsia has canceled flights to and from Kinabalu, Malaysia due to the spread of volcanic ash from Mount Ruang, which could potentially pose a danger," said Head of Government Relations and Corporate Communications of Indonesia AirAsia, Eddy Krismeidi, in a statement received in Jakarta, Saturday.

"We understand that this may cause inconvenience to passengers, and we apologize for the travel disruptions," he added.

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