Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport suspended operations on Sunday after volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau was detected in nearby airspace, disrupting 33 flights and forcing multiple international services to be delayed or cancelled. The closure was first set to last until 05:30 local time before being extended to 09:30 as aviation authorities monitored ash conditions and airport safety.
Indonesia’s civil aviation authorities coordinated with airlines, airport management, air navigation providers and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency as they managed the disruption at the country’s main international gateway. Volcanic ash can damage engines and onboard systems and reduce visibility during takeoff and landing, making even short-lived contamination a serious operational risk.
Anak Krakatau had been erupting since late on 4 September, with ash first detected around the airport area early the following day. One report put the number of cancelled international flights at 16, while broader coverage indicated that the total impact included a mix of cancellations and delays across domestic and overseas services.