More news on this day
Jakarta’s main international airport has extended its closure into Monday after the eruption of Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano sent ash high into the atmosphere, grounding flights and stranding hundreds of thousands of travelers across the country.
Get the latest news straight to your inbox!
Extended shutdown at Indonesia’s busiest air hub
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, which serves the Greater Jakarta region and is among Southeast Asia’s busiest hubs, suspended flight operations on Sunday after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau was detected in its airspace. The closure, initially announced as a temporary halt, has been extended several times as ash continues to drift over the capital and surrounding provinces.
Publicly available information from airport operators and transport agencies indicates that at least eight airports across western Indonesia have been affected since the weekend, including Jakarta’s secondary Halim Perdanakusuma airport and facilities in Lampung province on Sumatra. As of Monday, Jakarta’s main airport and several others have prolonged their shutdown until at least early Monday evening local time, with further extensions possible if ash concentrations remain unsafe for aviation.
Reports compiled by local and international media describe departure halls filled with waiting passengers, shuttered check-in counters and long queues at airline service desks as travelers seek refunds or alternative routes. With the capital’s primary gateway out of service, airlines have canceled or delayed a large share of domestic and international services, rippling disruption across regional networks.
Hundreds of thousands stranded and flights wiped from schedules
Data cited in transport ministry briefings and news coverage suggests that more than 1,500 flights have been canceled or heavily delayed across the eight affected airports since the eruption intensified over the weekend, including close to or more than 900 services at Soekarno-Hatta alone. Aggregated figures from multiple outlets indicate that at least 170,000 passengers have been left stranded, with some estimates pointing higher as Monday’s extended closures take effect.
At Jakarta’s main airport, domestic shuttle routes, regional links to neighboring Southeast Asian cities, and long-haul departures to the Middle East, Europe and Australia have all been hit. Carriers have rerouted certain services through alternative gateways such as Singapore and other Indonesian cities where possible, but many passengers have found themselves facing multi-day delays, complex rebookings or the prospect of overland and sea journeys as backup options.
Travel forums and social media posts from stranded travelers describe overnight stays in terminals, packed nearby hotels and uncertainty about when normal operations will resume. Comments shared publicly by affected passengers also mention rolling updates from airlines as airport closure times are repeatedly pushed back while ash forecasts are reassessed.
Anak Krakatau’s powerful ash plume blankets western Indonesia
Anak Krakatau, a volcanic island located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, began a fresh phase of explosive activity late on Friday, throwing columns of ash and lava into the sky. Indonesia’s volcanology and meteorology agencies, in updates published on their websites and through official channels, report ash clouds rising to altitudes of around 6,000 meters above parts of Java and up to about 15,000 meters on the Sumatra side.
Satellite imagery and observational data cited in regional coverage show ash spreading across wide swathes of western Indonesia, including the provinces of Banten, Lampung, South Sumatra and West Java, and settling over the Jakarta metropolitan area. While the eruption has not triggered large-scale evacuations in the capital, dense ash in the upper atmosphere has created hazardous conditions for aviation, where volcanic particles can damage jet engines and impair visibility for pilots.
The current activity is the latest episode in the long and closely watched history of Anak Krakatau, which emerged from the sea in the early 20th century within the caldera of the infamous 1883 Krakatau eruption. The volcano has produced several notable events in recent decades, including a 2018 eruption linked to a partial flank collapse and tsunami along parts of the Java and Sumatra coasts.
Domestic disruption spreads beyond aviation
The impact of Anak Krakatau’s eruption has extended beyond airport closures. Local reporting and government notices indicate that some schools in affected regions have shifted to remote learning due to ash fall, seeking to limit outdoor exposure for children. In coastal communities closer to the volcano, fishing activities have been curtailed as authorities and local leaders monitor sea conditions and ash dispersion.
In Jakarta and nearby cities, residents have shared images of fine ash coating vehicles and buildings and have been advised in public information campaigns to limit outdoor activity during periods of heavier fall and to use masks or face coverings where necessary. Health agencies have highlighted the potential respiratory impacts of prolonged exposure to volcanic ash, particularly for people with pre-existing conditions.
Economic analysts quoted in regional business coverage note that the shutdown of Indonesia’s primary aviation hub, even for a few days, can have significant knock-on effects for cargo flows, tourism businesses and time-sensitive corporate travel. The extended closure into Monday has raised concerns among hospitality operators, tour firms and exporters who rely on the steady movement of both travelers and freight through Soekarno-Hatta.
Uncertain timeline for resuming normal travel
Despite some indications that eruptive activity moderated slightly on Monday, aviation authorities and air navigation providers continue to report volcanic ash in key flight corridors around Jakarta. Notices to airmen and updates from Indonesia’s air navigation service, cited by international news agencies, show that decisions on reopening are being taken in stages, airport by airport, based on real-time ash modeling and on-the-ground observations.
Airlines operating in and out of Indonesia are encouraging passengers through public advisories to check flight status frequently, consider flexible travel dates and be prepared for last-minute schedule changes. Travel industry analysts note that once airports begin to reopen, it may take several days to clear the backlog of canceled and delayed flights, particularly at Soekarno-Hatta where capacity is heavily utilized under normal conditions.
For now, the situation leaves many travelers in limbo, watching weather and volcano bulletins as closely as airline notifications. With Anak Krakatau’s behavior historically characterized by intermittent bursts of activity, forecasts suggest that further operational disruptions remain a possibility, even if current ash levels begin to recede.
Jakarta Post: Jakarta international airport extends closure after Anak Krakatau eruption
Al Jazeera: Thousands stranded as Anak Krakatau eruption shutters Indonesian airports
AP News: Volcanic island in Indonesia erupts, canceling hundreds of flights and stranding thousands
CNA: Eight Indonesian airports remain shut due to volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau
The Guardian: Volcano eruption in Indonesia leaves 170,000 travellers stranded