TANGERANG, INDONESIA / RankWire.AI / – Indonesia resumed operations at Jakarta’s primary airport and several regional hubs on Tuesday after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau disrupted flight schedules. The incident resulted in delays, cancellations, or diversions for more than 340,000 travelers. Almost 3,000 flights within Indonesia experienced the impact. Authorities managed to reopen Soekarno-Hatta International Airport once wind conditions cleared ash from key aviation zones. Anak Krakatau remained active on Tuesday, with monitoring stations detecting three smaller eruptions during the morning hours.
The Ministry of Transportation announced that Soekarno-Hatta, Halim Perdanakusuma, and Husein Sastranegara airports restarted operations at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday. Additionally, Budiarto Airport in Curug and Pondok Cabe Airport followed suit at 2:25 a.m. Anak Krakatau’s activity continued, with Atung Bungsu Airport in South Sumatra reopening Monday morning. Meanwhile, two airports in Lampung, Radin Inten II and Muhammad Taufiq Kiemas, are still awaiting further assessments according to the latest official transport update. Aircraft safety inspections were also ordered before normal flight operations could resume.
The closures occurred after Anak Krakatau emitted volcanic ash across airspaces serving Jakarta and nearby regions. During the disruption, eight airports halted operations, including Indonesia’s busiest international gateway at Soekarno-Hatta. Volcanic ash poses a serious aviation hazard as it can cause engine damage and significantly reduce visibility. Authorities enforced restrictions on aircraft entering airspace where ash was detected. The disruption affected both domestic and international flight schedules, prompting airlines to modify departures, arrivals, and aircraft movements at the impacted airports.
Major airports reopen following ash dispersal
Anak Krakatau’s latest prolonged activity began late Friday in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. A continuous eruptive phase started at 11:07 p.m. Friday and concluded shortly after midnight on Sunday, lasting approximately 25 hours. Monitoring recorded additional Strombolian eruptions after the continuous phase ended. Earlier ash clouds reached altitudes nearing 50,000 feet in certain areas, dispersing volcanic material across parts of western Indonesia and disrupting key flight corridors.
The Geological Agency maintained Anak Krakatau at Level III, which is Indonesia’s second-highest volcanic alert level. Authorities enforced a three-kilometer exclusion zone around the volcano’s active site. Residents affected by volcanic ash were advised to limit outdoor activities or wear masks. Coastal communities in Banten and Lampung were instructed to follow official guidance and dismiss unverified tsunami warnings. The volcano’s monitoring network continued recording seismic and eruptive activity even after the prolonged eruption subsided over the weekend.
Air travel chaos impacts hundreds of thousands
Tuesday’s three minor eruptions occurred amidst ongoing efforts to manage the aftermath of the multi-day shutdown. Officials mandated inspections of aircraft that remained grounded during the closure. At Soekarno-Hatta, 178 aircraft required airworthiness checks before resuming full operations. Pilots and crew received instructions regarding restricted airspace contaminated with volcanic ash. These safety measures accompanied the airports’ reopening after authorities confirmed conditions had sufficiently improved for safe flight activity.
Anak Krakatau, an active volcanic island in the Sunda Strait, emerged from the Krakatau volcanic complex. Its activity has intensified during 2026, with eruptions recorded since July. The volcano also experienced a significant collapse during an eruption in December 2018, which triggered a deadly tsunami along nearby coastlines. Indonesia hosts over 100 active volcanoes, owing to its location along major tectonic boundaries in the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and eruptions are frequent.