FOREIGN MINISTRY APPEALS TO RI CITIZENS TO AVOID EUROPE

Jakarta, Apr 19 (ANTARA) - The foreign ministry has appealed to Indonesians planning to go to Europe or other parts of the world through Europe to postpone their scheduled departures until normal conditions had been restored.

The appeal was made by the foreign ministry in Jakarta on Monday following the volcanic eruption below a thick glacial ice cap in Southern Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano which had erupted for the second time in a month on Wednesday sending ash into several miles into the air, disrupting flight schedules and closing down many airports in Europe.

According to the foreign ministry, this condition may linger on until next week or longer, as an expansive cloud of fine ash hovered over parts of Western Europe triggering extended flight bans all around the globe.

Continued volcanic activity could produce more plumes if the weather patterns stay unchanged, the foreign ministry added.

It also called on Indonesians who would be air travellers wishing to go abroad to secure insurance policies, both internationally valid health insurance and total life's insurance in anticipation of emergency situations.

Many European routes had been canceled over fears planes could suffer catastrophic mechanical failures in contaminated skies over Europe.

The foreign ministry has also made an appeal to use most reliable airline companies with full service tickets to prevent undesired developments during overseas visits.

To facilitate monitoring, the foreign ministry also reminded Indonesians going abroad for work, business, or holiday, or for other purposes to immediately report themselves to the nearest Indonesian representative office.

As part of its good services to Indonesian citizens, the foreign ministry has issued an instruction to all its missions in Europe and other areas in Europe to give the necessary services in the case of any Indonesian stranded at the airport in an area under their jurisdiction
The Indonesian mission in Frankfurt is currently handling some 70 Indonesian citizens stranded at Dusseldorf airport by providing them with logistics as the airline companies concerned did not give these services in this emergency situation.

The European Air Traffic Control Agency, Eurocontrol, has reported that by the end of last week there were only 4,000 flights in Europe out of the normal 24,000 flights.

A total of 63,000 flights had been canceled since Thursday (Apr 15) until the end of the week throughout Europe.

The volcanic ash of the Eyjafjoell volcano in Iceland had forced thousands of planes to fly millions of passengers and tons of cargo each day supposed to provide economic lifeblood of nations and businesses, caused billions of dollars in losses due to disrupted international flights from and to Europe.


(H-NG/A/a014)