KOTA KINABALU: Flight schedules at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) have been severely disrupted on Monday night, believed to be linked to Typhoon Tino affecting the Philippines and regional weather patterns.
Several Kuala Lumpur-bound flights from the airport recorded delays of more than three hours, with AirAsia flight AK5141 originally scheduled to depart at 7.45pm, delayed by three hours, 19 minutes; and flight AK5115 scheduled for 9.20pm pushed back by three hours, 40 minutes.
Other significant delays included AK5137 (6.50pm, delayed by three hours, seven minutes; and AK5119 (10.25pm, delayed by two hours, 49 minutes).
Arrivals from Kuala Lumpur wqere also affected, with AirAsia flights AK5118 and AK5114 arriving three hours, 49 minutes and three hours, 59 minutes late respectively, while a Firefly flight from Kuala Lumpur landed two hours, 50 minutes behind schedule.
However, domestic flights within Sabah – including services to and from Sandakan and Tawau – were unaffected.
According to an AirAsia staff member familiar with operations, the delays are believed to be linked to Typhoon Tino.
He added that the weather system does not affect aircraft routes over Sabah, but had disrupted aircraft rotation and schedules in other sectors, causing extended knock-on delays.
A Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) Kota Kinabalu representative said the airport management was aware of the situation and monitoring operations, adding that "everything is okay and under control" as flights continued to depart and arrive on Monday night.
The adverse weather is believed to be connected to Typhoon Tino, which has triggered widespread evacuations in the Philippines as it moves across the region with strong winds and heavy rainfall.
Weather systems from the storm are expected to influence conditions in parts of Borneo, including Sabah, although authorities have not confirmed a direct link to the flight delays.
