Indonesian Airports Stay Shut as Anak Krakatau Ash Disrupts 2,300 Flights Amid Natural Disasters

Volcanic ash from ongoing eruptions at Anak Krakatau has triggered widespread disruptions across Indonesia as part of recurring natural disasters in the region, forcing the closure of seven airports including Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta and affecting more than 2,300 flights with over 270,000 passengers impacted.

Eruption and Ash Impact

Ash from Anak Krakatau, which sits halfway between Java and Sumatra islands, has blanketed Jakarta and several surrounding areas since it erupted late on Friday, leading to the closure of the airports for safety reasons. [1] At night, the lava from Anak Krakatau lit the sky red as it erupted. [1] Residents were sweeping the dusty floors of their homes and the blackened walls of a nearby mosque, Reuters photographs showed. [1] Anak Krakatau is one of about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which straddles the "Pacific Ring of Fire", a highly seismically active zone where different plates on the earth's crust meet to create a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. [1] Anak Krakatau, which means child of Krakatau, began emerging a century ago from the area previously occupied by Krakatau, then known as Krakatoa. [1] The older volcano destroyed itself in mass eruptions in 1883, which killed more than 36,000 people after triggering a series of tsunamis. [1] A tsunami after an eruption at Anak Krakatau in 2018 killed over 400 people. [1] The eruptions have seen ash towers reach as high as 20,000 feet on the Java side of the volcano and 50,000 feet on the Sumatra side and in some parts of Banten province in Java, meteorological agency BMKG posted on its website. [1] The volcano monitoring agency's website showed the most recent Anak Krakatau eruption occurred on Sunday at 8:23 p.m. [1] Renowned volcano expert Surono told Reuters that windy and dry conditions were blowing the sulphur and silica-laden ash all over the place, and could pose risks to plane engines. [1] "For Anak Krakatau, the recent eruption was unusual," he said. [1]

Airport Closures and Flight Disruptions

Ash from Anak Krakatau eruption blankets homes and a mosque in Banten. — Source: antaranews

The transport ministry said on Monday more than 270,000 people have been affected by the delay, diversion, or cancellation of 2,300 flights. [1] Jakarta's main airport will remain closed until 6 p.m. local time, the ministry said, along with six other airports. [1] One other airport in South Sumatra has been reopened. [1] On Monday, passengers at Jakarta's main airport, the Soekarno-Hatta, which is located in the city of Tangerang adjacent to Jakarta, were scurrying around, frantically looking for their flight status on the information boards. [1] Some were sleeping on benches. [1] Carlos Zabala, 24, was travelling to his native Spain after a vacation when he learned his flight was repeatedly delayed. [1] Expressing his frustration, he blamed operators for the lack of clarity. [1] "All we have to do is wait, and wait, and wait," he said. [1] The eruption has caused eight airports to suspend flight operations since Sunday morning, including the country’s main international gateway — the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Banten near Jakarta. [5] According to the Indonesian Transportation Ministry, as of 9am on Monday, about 2,300 flights were either cancelled, delayed or diverted, affecting more than 270,000 passengers. [5] But one of the eight temporarily-closed airports — the Atung Bungsu Airport in South Sumatra — has since resumed operations. [5] Passengers wait at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Sep 6, 2026. [5]

Government Response on Aviation Recovery

Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said his office has prepared 10 airports to operate 24 hours a day to speed up the recovery of flight schedules disrupted by the recent Mount Anak Krakatau eruption. [3] "We have also prepared 10 airports operating around the clock to accommodate flight diversions and accelerate schedule recovery," Purwagandhi said during a virtual meeting with President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on Monday. [3] Five of the 10 airports include Kertajati International Airport in Majalengka, West Java; Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, East Java; Jenderal Ahmad Yani International Airport in Semarang, Central Java; Adi Soemarmo International Airport in Surakarta, Central Java; and New Yogyakarta International Airport. [3] Those five airports serve as alternatives to anticipate operational disruptions across seven affected airports. [3] As of the latest update on Monday at 12:10 p.m. Western Indonesia Time, the volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau was observed at an altitude of around 15,000 feet, moving southwest at 10 knots. [3] According to Volcanic Ash Advisory Center forecast, the ash spread is expected to persist until about 6:10 a.m. on Tuesday. [3] The government must confirm the movement of volcanic ash before deciding to reopen airports, noting that changing wind directions could carry ash back toward airport grounds. [3] Juanda Airport will increase flight capacity as Singapore Airlines switches from a Boeing 737-800 to a wide-body Airbus A350, as a move aimed at transporting more passengers affected by the schedule disruptions. [3] The government has also added four domestic flights from several regions, including Denpasar, Batam, Makassar, and Pekanbaru. [3] Additional flights have been arranged through Ahmad Yani Airport, serving routes from Makassar, Denpasar, Labuan Bajo, and Lombok. [3] At New Yogyakarta International Airport, Saudia Airlines will operate flights through the airport. [3] Meanwhile, Kertajati Airport has begun handling Garuda Indonesia's international flights to and from Jeddah, Medina, and Amsterdam. [3] Lion Air is also scheduled to operate flights from Kertajati to Jeddah. [3] Passengers affected by the flight cancellations are entitled to their full rights under regulations, including a 100 percent refund. [3] The government is granting immigration leniency for foreign nationals who overstay their visas due to flight cancellations. [3] To facilitate the passenger transfers to alternative airports, a state airport operator InJourney Airports, in collaboration with multiple stakeholders, has arranged free ground transportation, including shuttle buses and train services. [3]

Public Health Measures

Indonesian authorities prepare 10 alternative airports for flight resumption after Anak Krakatau eruption. — Source: antaranews

The Banten Provincial Government has put all healthcare facilities and personnel on high alert to mitigate potential public health issues caused by volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau's eruption. [2] Ati Pramudji Hastuti, Head of the Banten Health Office, stated in Serang, Banten, on Monday that all hospitals, community health centers, public health laboratories, quarantine stations, and health posts have been instructed to activate 24-hour emergency services based on their respective local risk levels. [2] This preparedness push is outlined in Circular Letter No. 400.7/3234/DINKES/2026, issued by the health office. [2] "Cases are currently still within normal limits. However, together with all health workers, we remain on standby in line with the directives of the Banten Governor to prevent any future surge in cases," Ati said. [2] Volcanic ash contains particles and irritant gases that can trigger respiratory, eye, and skin irritation; worsen asthma; contaminate uncovered food and water; and cause accidents due to reduced visibility and slippery roads. [2] The Banten Health Office is requiring all health facilities to ensure the availability of essential medical equipment and supplies, as well as standby referral systems and ambulances. [2] These include oxygen tanks, pulse oximeters, bronchodilators, inhalers with spacers, sterile eye-wash solutions, personal protective equipment, and particulate respirators for medical staff. [2] Field health personnel have also been tasked with conducting daily surveillance for potential surges in respiratory cases, prioritizing vulnerable groups such as infants, children, older adults, pregnant women, people with disabilities, and individuals with chronic conditions. [2] The office confirmed that mask supplies are currently sufficient for distribution. [2] Additional aid will also be dispatched soon by the Ministry of Health's Crisis Center to Banten, Lampung, Jakarta, and West Java. [2]

Traveler Experiences and Alternative Journeys

It was supposed to be a short two-hour flight home for 29-year-old Achmad Rifyannur. [5] But when his Bali-Jakarta flight was cancelled on Sunday due to volcanic ash as a result of Mount Anak Krakatau’s eruption, that trip turned into an arduous 27-hour journey on trains, a ferry and other public transport. [5] Achmad Rifyannur is seen here on a train in the late afternoon on Sep 7, 2026, from Semarang to Bekasi on his journey to return home to Jakarta from Bali after flight disruptions due to Mount Anak Krakatau. [5] Achmad — who has almost one million followers on Instagram — said that he initially tried booking another flight, this time to Bandung, a city in West Java about a two-hour drive from Jakarta. [5] He managed to secure a 1pm flight on Sunday. [5] But as departure time drew closer, that flight, too, was cancelled because of the same volcanic activities. [5] With no indication of when flights would resume, Achmad eventually decided to make the journey home to Jakarta overland, taking a ferry from Gilimanuk in Bali across to Ketapang Ferry Port, Banyuwangi in East Java before continuing by train. [5] Banyuwangi is about 17 hours by train to Jakarta. [5] But direct train tickets to Jakarta were also sold out, with many other travellers facing the same predicament. [5] He was left with little choice but to take a longer route involving several train changes. [5] "What should have been a short trip from Bali to Jakarta will now take me about 27 hours," Achmad said. [5] When CNA contacted him on Monday morning, Achmad was still about two-thirds of the way home. [5] Malaysian comedian Jason Leong — who had a show in Jakarta on Sep 5 — was due to fly from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang in Selangor state on Batik Air at 11.45am on Sunday. [5] But at around 1am, he was notified that his flight had been cancelled due to volcanic ash. [5] Leong then posted a video on his Instagram asking for alternative routes to return to Malaysia, with suggestions including flying from Bandung, Yogyakarta or Surabaya. [5] Ultimately he decided on Yogyakarta because Surabaya was also near an erupting volcano, and Bandung didn't have direct flights to Kuala Lumpur. [5] He managed to book an AirAsia flight from Yogyakarta International Airport to Kuala Lumpur International Airport for Monday at 5.30pm. [5] To get to Yogyakarta, he travelled by train for a little longer than six hours. [5] Singaporeans in Indonesia are advised to prioritise their safety, minimise outdoor activities and remain indoors where possible, monitor local news and official Indonesian government sources for the latest developments, and follow the advice of the local authorities. [4]

Ongoing Risks and Official Warnings

The Singapore Embassy in Jakarta on Monday advised Singaporeans in Indonesia to e-register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if they have not already done so, amid disruptions caused by the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau. [4] The volcano has been erupting since Friday, with volcanic ash affecting parts of Indonesia and disrupting flight operations at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta and other airports. [4] In a Facebook post, the embassy said the situation remained “fluid” and that further disruptions to flight operations could occur. [4] For those whose travel plans are affected, the embassy advised contacting their airline for updates on cancellations, delays and alternative arrangements, noting that flight operations could change at short notice. [4] It also advised travellers to contact their travel insurance providers to understand their coverage and options for assistance or claims arising from the disruption. [4] Singaporeans in Indonesia were also advised to continue monitoring updates from authorities, including the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, and to make appropriate arrangements with their airlines and travel providers. [4] More than 270,000 people have been affected by delays, diversions or cancellations involving 2,300 flights, according to Indonesia's transport ministry on Monday. [4] Singapore Airlines and Scoot were among the carriers that cancelled flights between Singapore and Jakarta. [4] The agency warned on Monday that "the probability of further eruptions in the coming periods remains high." [1] On Sunday, the disaster agency called for people to wear masks while travelling outdoors to avoid breathing in the ash. [1] In Jakarta and Lampung, schools will use remote learning to counter health risks for students, state news agency Antara reported. [1]

What to watch next: The government continues to manage the fallout of Mount Anak Krakatau’s eruption on the aviation sector, which includes closely monitoring volcanic ash conditions before reopening affected airports, with ash spread expected to persist until about 6:10 a.m. on Tuesday.

Further Reading

• Live Earthquake Tracker
• Live Volcano Activity
• Tsunami Warnings