Haze: Flights cancelled, delayed in Tawau
Published on: Monday, October 19, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: Some 4,000 passengers were affected by cancellation and delay of flights at the Tawau Airport because of limited visibility due to haze on Sunday.It was learnt that there were more than 30 flight delays, including aircraft having to change course due to the haze in the district which recorded the highest Air Pollutant Index (API) reading in the country as of late Sunday afternoon. Tawau airport manager, Yaakob Abu Bakar, said the flights included the Kota Kinabalu-Tawau-Kota Kinabalu sector by MASWings and Malaysia Airlines.
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He said several flights for the Kota Kinabalu-Tawau-Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur-Tawau-Kuala Lumpur sectors by MASWings and AirAsia were also delayed because of that."The airport was closed at 8am due to the haze and reopened at 10am," he said when contacted here, Sunday.However, he said the situation at the airport was under control and the airport authority, with the cooperation of the Department of Civil Aviation and the Meteorological Department Civil, would continue to monitor the situation. As at 2pm, the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading at Tawau showed unhealthy air at 123.
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Meanwhile, Kota Kinabalu Airport manager Sunif Naiman said a MASWings Flight MH2121 to Tawau, which was diverted back to Kota Kinabalu, had to be diverted to Brunei because of the rain.Meanwhile, Tawau Municipal Council (MPT) President cum District Natural Disaster Relief Committee Chairman Datuk Ismail Mayakob advised the public to refrain from conducting activities outside their homes in order to avoid health risks.
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"Up to 4pm today, the API has reached unhealthy levels and also affect flights into and out of Tawau," he said.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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