Sentani, Jubi – A total of 225 flights at Sentani International Airport in Jayapura Regency, Papua Province, were cancelled between October 7 and 25, 2026, due to bad weather and poor visibility. Sentani International Airport’s head of communications and corporate social responsibility, Syahrial, said flights to Wamena in Jayawijaya Regency, Papua Pegunungan Province, accounted for the largest number of cancellations.
He said the cancellations were necessary because weather conditions were not suitable for safe take-offs and landings.
According to the latest information from relevant authorities, visibility in Wamena was about 5,000 metres, below the ideal range of 7,000 to 8,000 metres for flight operations, he said.
Sentani Airport management is continuing to coordinate with Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and other relevant authorities to monitor weather conditions and ensure flights can operate safely.
“We are constantly coordinating with BMKG and relevant parties to monitor weather developments. Passenger safety is our top priority,” Syahrial told Jubi at Sentani Airport in Jayapura Regency on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
Syahrial said the cancellations had also disrupted air freight services, particularly cargo deliveries to Wamena.
He warned that flight disruptions could affect local economic activity, as residents in Wamena rely heavily on air freight to meet their daily needs, including supplies of goods and essential commodities.
Seven flights to Wamena were cancelled on Wednesday, October 28, he said. Five cargo flights and two were commercial passenger services.
Syahrial said Sentani Airport typically handled about 20 departing flights and 20 arriving flights each day.
However, the number of operating flights could change depending on weather conditions and operational decisions made by airlines, he said.
Airport management has deployed staff to provide passengers with information about flight statuses.
It is also coordinating with airlines to ensure passengers receive clear and up-to-date information, including options for ticket refunds or rescheduling when flights are cancelled.
Syahrial said the coordination was intended to help passengers understand schedule changes and the options available to them following cancellations.
He apologised to the public for the inconvenience caused by the disruptions.
He also expressed hope that weather conditions would improve soon, allowing flights to return to normal and supporting passenger travel, goods distribution and economic activity.
Mayus Hissage, a passenger travelling from Jayapura to Wamena, also hoped conditions would improve so the journey would not be delayed again.
Hissage said he was scheduled to fly with Trigana Air Service at 9.30 a.m. Papua time on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
“Tomorrow, I will check in at 7 a.m. or 8 a.m., because the flight to Wamena departs at 9 a.m.,” Hissage said.
He hoped flights to Wamena would not face further delays or cancellations due to bad weather, as had happened in recent weeks. (*)
