· Indonesia, Southeast Asia · Health & air quality
Indonesia wildfire haze & flight delays: travel insurance advice
Seasonal plantation and peatland fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan can cause severe haze across Indonesia and neighbouring countries. What to know about flight cancellations and health cover.
- Where
- Indonesia, Southeast Asia
- Status
- Keep an eye on it
- Author
- Caleb CReported 8:00 pm AEDT
Wildfire haze in parts of Indonesia can occasionally reduce airport visibility and ground regional feeder flights.
Airline Responsibility First
When flights are grounded due to low visibility from bushfire smoke, Indonesian domestic carriers and international airlines must offer free date changes or ticket vouchers under carrier passenger protection rules.
What to do now
- Get a written delay or cancellation notice from your airline that shows the reason.
- Check the date you bought your travel insurance against the cut-off date above.
- Keep itemised receipts for meals, hotels and transport. Card statements alone are often rejected.
- Ask the airline for a refund, rebooking or voucher first. Insurance usually covers what is left over.
Common questions
Will travel insurance pay for a new flight on another airline?
Usually not straight away. Most policies expect you to use your own airline’s rebooking options first. Buying your own ticket without checking can lead to a declined claim.
Why does the date I bought my policy matter?
Insurers treat this event as publicly known from 12 Oct 2026, 11:00 am AEDT. Policies bought after that generally won’t cover it.
General information only, not personal financial advice. Cover differs between insurers. Always read your policy’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and check Smartraveller before you travel.