SIA cuts flights to Jakarta as directed by Indonesian authorities

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) is reducing its operations to Jakarta by five weekly flights with effect from December 1, 2016, as directed by Indonesian civil aviation authorities.

SIA, which has been operating 63 flights per week to and from Jakarta since July 2013, said on Monday that Indonesian authorities have informed the carrier that five flights must be cut. This is due to runway maintenance works at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

SIA said it would progressively contact customers with bookings on affected flights to accommodate them on other flights.

The latest news comes after SIA had to postpone plans to launch a new route linking Singapore, Jakarta and Sydney. The move came after the Indonesian civil aviation authorities said they were unable to approve the flights due to the runway maintenance works at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

SIA was initially due to start the three-times-weekly flights on Nov 23 using Boeing 777 aircraft. It had previously received written approval from the Indonesian authorities and also landed the required airport slots.