PETALING JAYA: Another eruption involving Mount Ruang, has resulted in disruptions to air travel in the region, with AirAsia having been forced to cancel 21 flights to and from Sabah and Sarawak in response.
In a statement today, AirAsia acknowledged the cancellations have affected various destinations including Kuching, Sibu and Bintulu in Sarawak.
“AirAsia has notified all affected guests and to offer provisions to assist them to make alternate travel arrangements,“ read the statement.
The company urged passengers scheduled to travel to or from the impacted areas to check their registered email and mobile phones for cancellation notifications.
The airline also advised travellers to monitor their flight status on the AirAsia website at airasia.com/flightstatus.
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“AirAsia is continuing to monitor the situation closely and will provide more information on the latest developments to guests directly and on all key communication channels,“ the statement added.
To accommodate affected passengers, AirAsia offered a one-time free flight change within 30 days from the original departure date on the same route, subject to seat availability.
Alternatively, passengers could retain the value of their booking in their AirAsia Rewards account for future travel, valid for up to two years from the issuance date.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines have also issued a travel advisory announcing the cancellation of several flights to and from Sabah and Sarawak, as the affected routes included Kuala Lumpur to Sandakan, Miri and Sibu, among others in the region.
“To minimise the inconvenience caused by the unforeseen cancellations, Malaysia Airlines is offering affected customers a one-time change to their travel itinerary free of charge or they can opt for a full refund irrespective of their fare family,“ the airline stated.
The flight schedule comprises journeys to and from Sabah on MH2710 (KUL-SDK), MH2711 (SDK-KUL), MH2668 (KUL-SDK) and MH2669 (SDK-KUL) while flights to and from Sarawak that were cancelled include MH2594 (KUL-MYY), MH2593 (MYY-KUL), MH2574 (KUL-MYY), MH2575 (MYY-KUL), MH2716 (KUL-SBW) and MH2715 (SBW-KUL).
Mount Ruang, located north of Sulawesi, Indonesia, erupted three times yesterday, spewing ash nearly two kilometres into the sky.
Local airlines are closely monitoring the volcanic activity and advising passengers to stay updated on the latest developments.
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