Airlines stop Jakarta flights after volcano blast

From The Jakarta Post

Several international carriers for the first time temporarily canceled flights to the capital Jakarta - 280 miles (450 kilometers) west of volatile Mt. Merapi in Yogyakarta over concerns volcanic ash in the air could cause damage to their aircraft and engines, jeopardizing safety.

Among them were Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and Malaysia Airlines, AP reported.

With the Yogyakarta airport closed because of poor visibility, ventilators needed for burn victims were stuck in Jakarta, and were being delivered instead by road, a hospital employee said.

Corporate secretary of Soekarno-Hatta Airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II,  Hari Cahyono, confirmed that several international carriers canceled their flights to Jakarta.

He said the airport authorities were collecting data on which carriers that had suspended flights to Jakarta.

Previously Air Asia and Malaysia Airlines announced suspension of flights to Bandung after ash shower from Mt. Merapi reached the city.

Posted via http://batavia08.posterous.com batavia08's posterous