Indonesia: Haze disrupts flights over Sumatra

The Jakarta Post 4 Dec 14;

A Lion Air plane that departed from Hang Nadim International Airport in Batam on Tuesday afternoon was forced to return to the airport as its the destination of Pangkalpinang airport was closed due to thick fog.

Hang Nadim airport general affairs head Suwarso said the plane departed at about 1 p.m. local time on Tuesday but turned back after flying some distance as Pangkalpinang was closed.

“The Lion Air aircraft departed but returned to Batam due to safety concerns as Pangkalpinang was closed. The plane departed again in the evening,” Suwarso told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday, adding that several airports in Sumatra were still being disrupted by haze.

“Some airports, such as Sultan Syarif Kasim II in Pekanbaru, Sultan Thaha in Jambi as well as airports in Palembang and Pangkalpinang