Merapi eruptions force Garuda to skip Yogyakarta airport

National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia continues to skip Yogyakarta's Adi Sucipto airport following Mount Merapi eruptions despite a guarantee that the airport is safe.

All Garuda flights departing to Yogyakarta landed at nearby Adi Sumarno airport in Surakarta.

"All regular flights schedules except Garuda have returned normal. The airport runways are now free from volcanic ash," Halindra, the manager of Adi Sucipto airport operator Angkasa Pura I, said as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Garuda Indonesia spokesman Pujobroto admitted all Garuda flights leaving for Yogyakarta had been transferred to Surakarta.

"Volcanic ash really disturbs the plane engines, thus we decide for a re-route," he said.