Indonesian aviation authorities have closed Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma airports after volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau drifted into the area, forcing broad flight suspensions across western Indonesia. The disruption has affected more than 1,500 flights at eight airports and left about 170,000 passengers impacted, with international services to Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul, Doha, Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur among those hit.
Soekarno-Hatta, the country’s busiest airport, was affected by 964 flights alone, while operators and regulators extended suspensions as ash continued to move over Jakarta and surrounding provinces. The eruption began late on Friday, and ash was detected at the airport early on Sunday, prompting safety checks for jet engines and flight operations.
The wider shutdown also covered airports in Lampung, West Java and South Sumatra as authorities tracked changing ash conditions. Flight plans were adjusted repeatedly through the weekend, with several carriers forced to cancel, delay or divert services while aviation officials monitored the volcano’s activity and weather patterns.