Hong Kong employment agencies warn of continued Jakarta flight disruptions despite airport reopening

Some Hong Kong employment and travel companies have warned that air traffic in Jakarta could continue to face disruptions even after the Indonesian capital’s international airport reopened following a volcanic eruption that spewed ash into the sky, as airlines work through a backlog.

GLC (Manado) Employment Service founder and director Chu Shek-yin told the South China Morning Post that he would not rush to book an air ticket for his client’s helper despite the resumption of operations at all eight airports in Indonesia on Tuesday.

Chu said the helper was scheduled to receive a work visa for Hong Kong around this week but the string of flight cancellations meant the helper’s arrival would be delayed by a week or more.

“I won’t book an air ticket until Jakarta’s airport operations stablilise. Otherwise, my heart will beat like a roller coaster,” he said.

He recalled an “upsetting” experience over a year ago when a sudden airport closure due to another volcanic eruption left a helper stranded and he had to share some of the losses with his client by buying another air ticket.

Chu said an employment agency typically charged about HK$18,000 (US$2,296) to bring over an Indonesian helper, including for a one-way air ticket that could cost roughly HK$1,800 for an indirect flight.