Return flights cost three times more, say Malaysians stranded in Jakarta

 

Fatin Nur Athirah Mohd Rodzi (right) with her family members who were stranded at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. PIC COURTESY OF FATIN NUR ATHIRAH MOHD RODZI

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians stranded in Indonesia following flight cancellations caused by the eruption of Anak Krakatau have been forced to incur additional expenses, with return airfares reportedly rising by as much as threefold.

Dhia Adawiah, 26, from Kuala Lumpur, was scheduled to return to Malaysia at 5am today on a Batik Air flight after travelling alone to Jakarta on Sept 4 to attend a concert by Indonesian music group Kahitna.

However, her flight was cancelled.

She said a one-way flight to Malaysia for tomorrow cost at least RM1,071, in addition to RM150 for another night's accommodation.

"All the flight ticket prices have increased threefold. When I checked, the cheapest flight available for tomorrow was RM1,071, on top of an additional RM150 for one night at a hotel.

"For now, I have to wait and see how the situation develops. If flights are able to operate tomorrow, I will book one immediately," she said when contacted.

The marketing executive said the disruption had also affected her work, as she had several matters that needed to be settled upon her return to Malaysia.

"It is difficult because I have a lot of work that needs to be completed. This is the first time in my life that I have experienced a situation like this," she said.

She said the airline had yet to respond, forcing her to apply for a refund. She plans to purchase another flight ticket once conditions permit.

Another Malaysian, Fatin Nur Athirah Mohd Rodzi, from Shah Alam, said she was scheduled to return on a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight at 7.30pm today. However, she received a notification at 8am that the flight had been cancelled.

She said she had travelled to Jakarta with five other family members last Thursday for work-related purposes.

"I am worried because my children are supposed to return to school tomorrow and I also need to get back to work.

"It is stressful because this is the first time I have ever been stranded in another country," she said.

She said her family was stranded at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and had sought clarification, but the counters for the airline concerned and AirAsia had yet to open.

"The airport is crowded, with many Malaysians stranded here. I also noticed a lot of ash covering vehicles.

"I hope the situation stabilises soon, flight operations return to normal and alternative flights can be arranged so that we can return home as soon as possible," she said.

The eruption of Anak Krakatau has continued since Friday, causing volcanic ash to spread and prompting six airports to suspend flight operations.

The disruption has also affected domestic and international flights, including routes connecting Jakarta with Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul/Incheon, Doha and Amsterdam. - NST