Indonesia’s prolonged forest and peatland fires have produced one of Southeast Asia’s worst transboundary haze episodes in years, disrupting aviation and tourism across the region. Intensified by strong El Niño conditions, the fires have reduced visibility and worsened air quality across Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation reported that 2,604 scheduled domestic flights were affected between August 11 and October 19, including 1,420 cancellations or postponements and 1,129 delays. Another 14 international flights linking Singapore with Pontianak and Palembang were cancelled, while Wings Air and Batik Air cancelled services in Palu.
The haze has also affected tourism businesses. Outdoor tourism operators in Singapore initially reported booking declines of up to 30%, while subsequent reporting found that some travel agencies experienced 30%–80% drops in bookings from selected overseas markets. Businesses have adjusted itineraries to emphasize indoor activities and offered greater scheduling flexibility. The crisis has also prompted stronger regulatory responses. Singapore issued preventive notices to seven companies with Indonesian land concessions and announced a specialist investigative panel on October 30 to examine corporate operations and supply chains.
Although improving weather conditions have eased Singapore’s haze, the disruptions underline the importance of regional fire prevention, aviation resilience, and business continuity planning for tourism operators.
