As East Malaysia flights resume, traffic control told to extend hours

 

The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia has advised airlines and aircraft operators to continuously monitor meteorological updates.

PETALING JAYA: Air traffic controllers in East Malaysia have been instructed to extend their operating hours with flights to Sabah and Sarawak resuming this evening after being affected by volcanic ash.

Checks with AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines showed that some flights had taken off from airports in the peninsula.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia said the weather forecast showed that the ash clouds following the eruption of Mount Ruang in north Sulawesi, Indonesia, had started clearing.

CAAM CEO Norazman Mahmud said certain flights had already resumed from about 7pm, and traffic controllers had been ordered to extend their hours to assist with the resumption of flights, many of which were cancelled or delayed.

“The forecast shows the volcanic ash clouds clearing around the Sarawak region from 7pm and completely clearing the entire Borneo airspace from 10pm,” he said in a statement.

“CAAM advises airlines and aircraft operators to continuously monitor meteorological updates, advisories and information related to volcanic ash issued by the authorities.”

According to The Borneo Post, more than 20,000 passengers had been left stranded at the Kota Kinabalu, Labuan, Tawau and Sandakan airports due to Mount Ruang’s eruption.

Hundreds were also stranded at the Kuching international airport, with long queues of passengers trying to rebook their flights at the check-in counters and airline offices.

Reuters reported that at least 800 people in North Sulawesi have been evacuated after multiple eruptions of Mount Ruang, on Pulau Ruang, about 100km from the provincial capital of Manado. - FMT