JAKARTA, September 6: The eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatau triggered major aviation disruption on Sunday, forcing temporary closures at eight airports and affecting around 467 flights, according to the latest update from Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation.
Of the affected flights, 58 were international and 409 domestic, while authorities estimated that around 150,000 passengers were impacted by the disruption.
Jakarta’s Main Airport Among Those Hit
The affected airports included Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta’s primary international gateway, along with Halim Perdanakusuma, Radin Inten II, Husein Sastranegara, Budiarto Curug, Pondok Cabe, Taufik Kiemas and Atung Bungsu airports.
At Soekarno-Hatta, authorities repeatedly extended the temporary closure after tests continued to detect volcanic ash in the airport environment.
A later NOTAM extended the airport’s closure until an estimated 5:30 PM WIB on Sunday as authorities continued monitoring ash conditions.
Volcanic Ash Creates Serious Aviation Risk
Volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau spread across a wide area, including Banten, Jakarta, West Java, Lampung and Bengkulu, according to Indonesia’s Geological Agency.
Ash can pose a serious risk to aircraft because particles can damage engines, reduce visibility and interfere with critical aviation systems.
Indonesia’s Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said airports would not be forced to reopen while ash tests remained positive, stressing that passenger and aviation safety remained the government’s top priority.
Hundreds of Jakarta Flights Cancelled
At Soekarno-Hatta alone, airport operator InJourney reported 209 scheduled flight cancellations during the early hours of Sunday.
These included 160 domestic flights, 39 international flights and 10 cargo services.
International routes linked to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul, Doha and Amsterdam were among those affected during the disruption.
Garuda Cancels Jakarta, Bandung and Lampung Services
Garuda Indonesia later announced the cancellation of its scheduled flights to and from Jakarta, Bandung and Lampung through Monday, September 7, as ash continued to disrupt aviation operations.
Indonesia’s government also prepared Kertajati, Ahmad Yani and Juanda airports as alternative landing points for affected domestic and international services.
Anak Krakatau Remains at Alert Level III
Indonesia’s Geological Agency said Anak Krakatau remains at Level III, or Siaga alert status.
Authorities have prohibited residents, visitors and tourists from entering an area within 3 kilometres of the volcano’s active centre and warned of hazards including lava flows, hot clouds, incandescent rocks and heavy ashfall.
The agency said the volcano’s current morphology does not indicate a collapse on a scale capable of generating a tsunami, although activity continues to be closely monitored.
Schools and Fishing Activities Also Disrupted
The eruption’s impact extended beyond aviation. Ashfall prompted authorities to halt some school activities and fishing operations, while masks were distributed in affected communities because of health concerns.
Indonesia’s government said President Prabowo Subianto was closely monitoring the eruption and its wider impact.
Authorities continue to assess volcanic activity and ash distribution before allowing normal flight operations to resume safely.
source – Indonesia Ministry of Transportation / Geological Agency
Supreme News Network
