Anak Krakatau ash cloud shuts eight Indonesian airports

Hundreds of flights were grounded and Indonesia’s main international gateway was temporarily closed after ash from the erupting Anak Krakatau volcano drifted across western parts of the country, triggering widespread air travel disruption for passengers across Southeast Asia and beyond.

Airports closed as ash drifts over Jakarta and Sumatra

Published coverage indicates that Anak Krakatau, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, began a new eruptive phase over the weekend, sending ash thousands of metres into the sky. As the ash cloud spread east and north with prevailing winds, aviation authorities activated contingency plans designed to keep aircraft clear of the plume.

According to reports from Indonesian outlets and international media, at least eight airports in western Indonesia were ordered to halt operations after ash was detected in their airspace or on runways. These include Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the country’s primary global hub, along with Halim Perdanakusuma in the capital and several regional airports in Lampung, West Java and South Sumatra. ([en.antaranews.com](https://en.antaranews.com/amp/news/430175/mount-anak-krakatau-eruption-grounds-eight-indonesian-airports?utm_source=openai))

Initial notices closed Soekarno-Hatta for several hours during the early hours of Sunday, 6 September, local time, but subsequent assessments of the drifting ash prompted multiple extensions of the shutdown into Sunday afternoon and then into Monday morning. Publicly available information shows that other airports adjusted operations in line with changing ash forecasts, with some suspending only departures or arrivals during peak contamination periods. ([aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/9/6/indonesias-main-airport-suspends-flights-due-to-anak-krakatoa-eruption?utm_source=openai))

Hundreds of flights cancelled and 170,000 travellers stranded

Flight data compiled by national news agencies and global outlets indicates that more than 1,500 flight movements were delayed or cancelled across the eight affected airports, with Soekarno-Hatta alone accounting for over 900 of those on Sunday and Monday. At least 516 individual flight movements were reported disrupted at one point, with further cancellations added as the closure window was extended. ([cbsnews.com](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/indonesia-volcano-eruption-flights-airport/?utm_source=openai))

Guardian reporting and regional wire services estimate that around 170,000 passengers were left stranded or forced to rebook as a result of the cascading schedule changes. Crowded terminal halls, long queues at airline counters and passengers resting on terminal floors were described across multiple airports as carriers attempted to reassign seats and adjust crew rosters around the airspace restrictions. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/07/volcano-eruption-indonesia-map-airports-closed-flights-mount-anak-krakatau?utm_source=openai))

Travel industry coverage notes that the disruption has rippled beyond Indonesia’s borders. Several long haul and regional services linking Jakarta with Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Australian cities such as Sydney and Melbourne have been cancelled or diverted, with some airlines advising customers to postpone non essential trips to Jakarta until the ash situation stabilises. ([travelweekly.com.au](https://travelweekly.com.au/anak-krakatau-eruption-grounds-flights-across-indonesia/?utm_source=openai))

Why volcanic ash closes airports and grounds flights

Volcanic ash presents a well documented risk to aviation because the fine, abrasive particles can damage engines, pit windscreens and interfere with aircraft instruments. International safety guidance treats ash clouds differently from normal weather systems; when ash is present in an airport’s airspace or detected on runways, standard practice is to suspend operations until monitoring data shows conditions have improved.

Regulatory texts and aviation advisories explain that closure decisions are typically based on satellite imagery, lidar and on the ground tests of ash contamination, as well as forecasts from Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres. In the case of Anak Krakatau, reports indicate that ash was detected over key approach and departure corridors serving Jakarta and parts of southern Sumatra, prompting precautionary shutdowns even though the volcano sits more than 150 kilometres from the capital’s main airport. ([en.antaranews.com](https://en.antaranews.com/amp/news/430175/mount-anak-krakatau-eruption-grounds-eight-indonesian-airports?utm_source=openai))

Experience from other recent eruptions in Central America and Mexico shows that disruption can be short lived when ash columns remain relatively low or drift away from major hubs, but closures may be prolonged if winds carry ash repeatedly across busy routes. Analysts following the Anak Krakatau event suggest that the duration of the current disruption will depend heavily on wind patterns over the Sunda Strait in the coming days. ([flysafe.zone](https://flysafe.zone/events/santamaria-ash-2026-09/?utm_source=openai))

Impact on regional and long haul travel plans

As of Monday, 7 September, travel platforms and airline advisories continue to show rolling cancellations on routes into Jakarta, Bandung and Lampung, alongside knock on delays at connecting hubs in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Some long haul flights to Europe and the Middle East that normally transit via Jakarta are being rerouted through alternative Southeast Asian gateways, according to aviation tracking data cited in travel trade reports. ([travelweekly.com.au](https://travelweekly.com.au/anak-krakatau-eruption-grounds-flights-across-indonesia/?utm_source=openai))

Australian travellers have been particularly affected, with travel industry outlets reporting cancellations on multiple services between Jakarta and Australia’s east coast. Passengers holding tickets in the coming days are being encouraged to monitor airline apps and websites closely, as schedules are being updated frequently in line with the latest ash forecasts and airport reopening times. ([travelweekly.com.au](https://travelweekly.com.au/anak-krakatau-eruption-grounds-flights-across-indonesia/?utm_source=openai))

Online travel communities show that some passengers are seeking overland or domestic alternatives, such as routing via unaffected airports in eastern Indonesia or neighbouring countries. However, published advice from aviation safety bodies continues to recommend that travellers avoid unnecessary repositioning flights into potentially affected airspace until airport operations have fully normalised. ([reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/singapore/comments/1w8t53z/travel_chaos_hits_changi_and_jakarta_airports_as/?utm_source=openai))

What travellers should know if flying via Indonesia

For travellers with imminent departures to or through Indonesia, publicly available guidance from airlines and travel agencies stresses the importance of checking flight status before leaving for the airport, even if the ticket appears confirmed. Many carriers are offering fee waivers for date changes or rerouting on affected itineraries, although the exact policies vary by airline and booking channel.

Experts in volcanic risk and aviation safety also underline that Anak Krakatau is historically active and that eruptions can occur in pulses, meaning the ash hazard may fluctuate from day to day. Travel analysts note that while the current closures are disruptive, they are also a sign that mitigation plans introduced after past eruptions are being applied, with operations paused in order to prevent aircraft from entering contaminated airspace. ([aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/9/6/indonesias-main-airport-suspends-flights-due-to-anak-krakatoa-eruption?utm_source=openai))

Travellers already in Indonesia are being advised by tourism boards and travel providers to allow extra time for airport transfers, consider flexible accommodation bookings and stay in close contact with airlines or travel agents. As Anak Krakatau’s latest eruptive phase evolves, the outlook for flights through Jakarta and surrounding airports will depend on both volcanic activity levels and shifting weather patterns over the Sunda Strait.

The Guardian: Volcano eruption in Indonesia leaves 170,000 travellers stranded

Al Jazeera: Indonesia’s main airport suspends flights due to Anak Krakatau

ANTARA News: Mount Anak Krakatau eruption grounds eight Indonesian airports

CBS News: Indonesia volcano eruption cancels hundreds of flights