TANGERANG, INDONESIA / RankWire.AI / – Indonesia reopened Jakarta’s main airport along with several regional airports on Tuesday after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau disrupted flight operations. Over 340,000 travelers experienced delays, cancellations, or diversions amid the disturbance. The impact was felt across nearly 3,000 flights throughout Indonesia. Authorities managed to reopen Soekarno-Hatta International Airport once winds cleared ash from critical aviation zones. Anak Krakatau remained active on Tuesday, with monitoring stations recording three smaller eruptions during the morning hours.
The Ministry of Transportation announced that Soekarno-Hatta, Halim Perdanakusuma, and Husein Sastranegara airports resumed operations at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. Budiarto Airport in Curug and Pondok Cabe Airport followed suit at 2:25 a.m. Meanwhile, Atung Bungsu Airport in South Sumatra had reopened on Monday morning. The latest official update indicated that Radin Inten II and Muhammad Taufiq Kiemas airports in Lampung were still awaiting further assessment. Prior to resuming normal activities, airport authorities mandated aircraft safety inspections.
The closures were initiated after Anak Krakatau emitted volcanic ash across the airspace servicing Jakarta and adjacent regions. During the disruption, eight airports suspended operations, including Indonesia’s busiest international gateway at Soekarno-Hatta. Volcanic ash presents significant hazards to aviation, potentially damaging engines and impairing visibility. Monitoring systems also led to restrictions on aircraft entry into ash-contaminated airspace. Airlines responded by adjusting departures, arrivals, and aircraft movements across affected airports, affecting both domestic and international schedules.
Major International Airports Resume Operations Following Ash Clearance
Anak Krakatau’s recent phase of heightened activity began late Friday in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. A continuous eruptive episode commenced at 11:07 p.m. Friday and concluded shortly after midnight Sunday, lasting approximately 25 hours. Monitoring stations detected additional Strombolian eruptions after the main phase ended. Earlier ash clouds reached altitudes close to 50,000 feet in some regions, dispersing volcanic material across parts of western Indonesia and disrupting key flight corridors.
The Geological Agency maintained Anak Krakatau at Level III, Indonesia’s second-highest volcanic alert level. A three-kilometer exclusion zone was enforced around the volcano’s active center. Local residents affected by volcanic ash were advised to minimize outdoor activities or wear masks. Coastal communities in Banten and Lampung were instructed to adhere to official guidance and ignore unverified tsunami reports. The volcano’s monitoring network continued recording seismic and eruptive activity even after the prolonged eruption concluded over the weekend.
Air Travel Disrupted for Hundreds of Thousands
The three smaller eruptions on Tuesday occurred as airports worked to recover from the multi-day shutdown. Officials mandated inspections for aircraft that remained grounded during the closure, with 178 aircraft at Soekarno-Hatta requiring airworthiness checks before resuming service. Pilots and crew received instructions concerning restricted airspace containing volcanic ash. These measures coincided with the reopening of airports, as authorities deemed conditions suitable for flight operations.
Anak Krakatau, an active volcanic island in the Sunda Strait, emerged from the Krakatau volcanic complex. Its activity intensified in 2026, with eruptions recorded since July. The volcano experienced a significant collapse during an eruption in December 2018, which triggered a deadly tsunami along nearby coasts. Indonesia hosts over 100 active volcanoes, situated along major tectonic boundaries within the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur frequently.