Climate & Environment

Firefly Extends Kuala Lumpur‑Singapore Flight Suspension Amid Indonesian Haze

By Al Jazeera Staff

Firefly, a Malaysian low‑cost carrier, has extended the suspension of its flights between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore through Wednesday because smoke from fires in Indonesia continues to blanket the region. The airline announced that flights between Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB) near Kuala Lumpur and Seletar Airport (XSP) in Singapore have been cancelled up to Wednesday due to “weather and haze conditions,” calling the action a “proactive safety measure.” The cancellations were first announced on October 10, citing low visibility caused by haze. Affected passengers are being rebooked on Malaysia Airlines flights between Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Singapore’s Changi Airport, subject to seat availability.

The decision comes after IQAir, an air‑quality monitoring company, ranked Singapore and Kuala Lumpur as the world’s two most polluted cities on Tuesday. IQAir reported an Air Quality Index of 199 in Singapore and 183 in Kuala Lumpur, with readings above 150 considered unhealthy and those above 300 hazardous.

The haze is caused by fires on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo, the most intense in the country in 11 years, driven by an El Niño weather pattern expected to be among the strongest in four decades. Indonesia has deployed about 60,000 personnel to fight the fires, but thick smoke has grounded 34 aircraft, including planes and helicopters, and limited water supplies and remote terrain have hindered the effort.

The Singapore government has reintroduced subsidised care for haze‑related illnesses, as it did in 2015. In Malaysia, most schools reopened on Tuesday as air quality improved slightly, but schools remain closed in three states, one federal territory and several districts.

Malaysia’s foreign minister, Mohamad Hasan, said he would push for stronger regional mechanisms when ASEAN foreign ministers meet next month. He noted that while ASEAN has a mechanism for natural disasters, haze is not included or classified as a natural disaster. The Philippines, chairing ASEAN this year, confirmed that the issue would be on the agenda for the November meeting preceding the 49th ASEAN summit in Manila.