Ash from Anak Krakatoa drifted into the airspace around Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, grounding hundreds of flights and stranding thousands of travelers. Domestic and international routes were affected. The airport operator reported that 301 flights, including 58 international connections, were suspended while authorities assessed the risk to aircraft engines.
The eruption began late Friday and continued into Sunday, sending ash as high as 15,000 meters above Sumatra and 6,000 meters above Java, Indonesia’s meteorological agency BMKG reported. Ash spread across Banten, West Java, Jakarta, Lampung, and Bengkulu. Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines cancelled all remaining flights to and from Jakarta that day. Authorities extended the airport closure several times, most recently until 21:30 local time on September 6, as ash continued drifting over the capital.
Director General of Civil Aviation Lukman F. Laisa said a 'paper test' conducted between 00:35 and 01:05 local time officially confirmed volcanic ash in the airport's airspace.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said 22,798 passengers were directly affected by the closure. Major international routes to Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul, Doha, Amsterdam, and Kuala Lumpur were disrupted. Domestic flights to Denpasar (Bali), Lampung, and Surabaya were delayed or cancelled. The airport operator, Angkasa Pura, repeatedly extended the suspension as the ash cloud lingered, prioritizing safety as conditions changed. Channel NewsAsia reported that the first wave of restrictions affected at least 33 flights, including 16 international cancellations and 7 delays, with further updates throughout the day. Al Jazeera reported that disruptions reached beyond local flights to major international routes, including those to Singapore and other regional hubs, with potential knock-on effects for connecting flights and onward travel.
Indonesia’s Geological Agency said there was no tsunami risk, unlike in 2018, when Anak Krakatoa’s partial collapse caused deadly waves that killed more than 400 people. The agency’s director, Lana Saria, said the volcano’s current structure was stable, with no signs of collapse or further major events. The eruption had stopped by Sunday, but officials continued tracking the ash and coordinating with airlines. Aviation safety remained the basic concern, as airlines, air traffic controllers, and meteorological services monitored the ash cloud.
Anak Krakatoa, or "Child of Krakatoa," rose from the sea in 1927, decades after the 1883 Krakatoa eruption, which killed more than 36,000 people. The volcano lies in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra and is closely watched because of its history of sudden eruptions. Indonesia, an archipelago of about 17,000 islands, sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.
The eruption and airport shutdown exposed how vulnerable Indonesia’s transport system is to natural hazards. Nearly 23,000 travelers were left waiting, and major international connections were cut. The disruption highlighted logistical challenges in a region where volcanic activity is common. Indonesia relies on air travel for tourism and business, and the incident carried economic and operational costs.
