Malaysian low-cost carrier Firefly has extended the cancellation of its flights between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore until Wednesday, 14th October, as toxic haze originating from fires in neighbouring Indonesia continues to choke regional air quality.
The air pollution crisis forced Singapore among the world’s top two most polluted major cities early Tuesday 13th a, according to Swiss-based air quality monitor IQAir. The degraded conditions stem from intense agricultural and forest fires raging across the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. These blazes have been heavily intensified by a turbocharged El Niño weather phenomenon, causing them to belch out thick, toxic smoke across the region. The fires have created suffocating local haze, sparking tens of thousands of respiratory illness cases.
The flight suspensions affect services connecting Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport near Kuala Lumpur and Singapore’s Seletar Airport, which have been halted since Saturday (10th October). In a statement late on Monday (11th October), Firefly said the extension was a “proactive safety measure”.
Explaining the decision to keep the air links suspended, the company highlighted the unpredictable nature of the current environmental situation. “Given the evolving weather situation, Firefly is monitoring developments closely. Further updates on flight schedules will be communicated directly to affected customers,” it added.
In Singapore, which recorded an Air Quality Index reading of 193 on Tuesday, the government activated schemes that allow citizens to receive affordable care for haze-related health conditions. Air Quality Index readings above 150 are classified as unhealthy, while levels above 300 are considered hazardous.
The city-state last activated its haze subsidy scheme in 2015 when smoke from Indonesian forest fires cloaked Southeast Asia in toxic smoke for weeks, driving up illnesses and forcing school closures and flight cancellations.
In neighbouring Malaysia, schools reopened in most states Tuesday as air quality improved slightly, but remained closed across three states, one federal territory and several districts.
Indonesia regularly battles wildfires during the dry season, but the fires have intensified this year because of El Niño, set to be one of the strongest since comparable records began four decades ago. Experts have also pointed to slash-and-burn land-clearing practices that have changed the naturally fire-resistant landscape.
The worsening transboundary haze has created severe public health hazards, disrupted international travel routes and forced emergency government interventions across Southeast Asia. Authorities in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia continue to monitor regional air pollution levels and weather developments closely.
Severe haze from Indonesian fires has forced Malaysia’s Firefly to extend flight cancellations between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
