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Mount Anak Krakatau’s renewed eruptive activity over the weekend has sent volcanic ash high into the atmosphere above the Sunda Strait, forcing the temporary closure of multiple Indonesian airports and disrupting thousands of journeys across Southeast Asia.
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Where the disruption is being felt
Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation has extended the closure of eight airports affected by ash from Anak Krakatau until at least the morning of 7 September 2026 local time, with the situation under ongoing review. The measures primarily affect western Indonesia, where ash clouds have drifted toward the densely populated island of Java and key aviation corridors.
Jakarta’s Soekarno Hatta International Airport, the country’s main international gateway, has experienced repeated suspensions of operations since 6 September after ash was detected in the airport area and surrounding airspace. Regional reports indicate that more than 200 flights at Jakarta alone were disrupted on Sunday, with tens of thousands of passengers affected as aircraft and crews were left out of position.
Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, which handles domestic and some limited regional traffic for the capital, has also been subject to temporary closure, with aviation notices indicating a suspension of operations through the early evening of 7 September. Further afield, airports in Bandar Lampung in southern Sumatra and several other regional fields have either halted or heavily curtailed traffic while ash concentrations are assessed.
The knock-on impact extends beyond Indonesia’s borders. Malaysian aviation authorities report that dozens of Jakarta-bound flights from Kuala Lumpur and other Malaysian airports were canceled on 6 September after Soekarno Hatta suspended operations, and low-cost and full-service carriers across the region have begun adjusting schedules and rerouting aircraft around the affected airspace.
How many flights and passengers are affected
The scale of the disruption is significant for early September, a period that still sees strong tourism flows into Indonesia and heavy domestic travel. Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation and state-owned air navigation provider data, cited in national media, point to hundreds of flight cancellations and delays across the network since the eruption intensified on 5 September.
Figures compiled over the weekend suggest that at Soekarno Hatta alone more than 1,500 flights were canceled or heavily delayed as ash spread across key approach and departure paths, affecting an estimated 170,000 passengers. Additional tallies from the transportation ministry indicate that at least 373 flights nationwide had been directly impacted by airport closures as of Sunday morning, a number that has likely grown as further restrictions were announced.
Airlines are adjusting their operations route by route as conditions evolve. Indonesia-based Lion Group has listed a long series of cancellations for services to and from Jakarta, including flights to Surabaya, Denpasar, Medan, Makassar, Pekanbaru, Pontianak and Bandar Lampung through the late afternoon and early evening of 7 September. Other Indonesian carriers including Garuda Indonesia, Batik Air, Super Air Jet and Indonesia AirAsia have reported cancellations on domestic and short-haul international sectors touching affected airports.
Regional carriers are also feeling the impact. AirAsia has confirmed disruptions to flights operating within and into Indonesia, citing extensive volcanic ash clouds in the Sunda Strait region and warning that further last-minute adjustments remain possible as meteorological data are updated.
Why volcanic ash is so disruptive to aviation
Volcanic ash poses particular challenges to aircraft operations, even when an eruption is relatively modest in terms of lava or explosive force. The fine, abrasive particles in an ash cloud can damage jet engines, pit windscreens and leading edges, and interfere with sensors and air-conditioning systems. Unlike typical meteorological clouds, ash clouds are difficult to distinguish visually and can extend for hundreds of kilometers downwind from a volcano.
Global aviation procedures require airlines and air navigation providers to avoid any area where ash concentrations may pose a risk. In practice, that often means closing airspace sectors and runways when an ash plume is forecast or detected near busy airports. Jakarta’s position in the western Java air corridor, combined with prevailing winds that have blown ash from Anak Krakatau toward the capital region, has made conservative closures the preferred option for local authorities.
Indonesia’s transport and disaster management agencies indicate that monitoring of Anak Krakatau has intensified since July, with a marked escalation of activity in early September culminating in prolonged eruptive phases on 5 and 6 September. Satellite imagery and ground-based observations show ash columns reaching cruising altitudes for commercial jets, prompting regional aviation warning centers to issue advisories along major Southeast Asian flight paths.
For travelers, this means that even if their specific departure or arrival airport remains open, flights may need to reroute around affected airspace, leading to longer flight times, missed connections and schedule reshuffles well beyond Indonesia’s borders.
What travelers should do if they are booked through Indonesia
Airlines across the region are activating disruption-management policies to cope with the ash-related shutdowns. Most carriers with affected services are allowing free rebooking within a defined travel window, subject to seat availability, and in some cases are offering refunds or credit vouchers for passengers who choose to postpone trips. Travelers transiting through Jakarta or other impacted hubs are being advised, through public statements and travel alerts, to monitor their booking status closely and avoid heading to the airport until their flight is confirmed as operating.
Indonesian officials and airport operators are using public information channels to encourage passengers to follow updates from airlines, airport websites and national meteorological and geological agencies. With terminal congestion an issue during prolonged closures, many passengers are opting to remain at hotels or alternative accommodation until operations resume, particularly in Greater Jakarta where surface transport options are extensive.
Travelers already in Indonesia who face canceled flights between domestic destinations are seeking alternative routings that bypass Jakarta, using airports that remain open in central and eastern parts of the archipelago. However, the situation is fluid, and aviation notices indicate that additional airports could see changing operational status depending on wind direction and ash dispersion in the coming days.
Travelers with imminent plans to visit Indonesia are advised to build flexibility into their itineraries. Booking refundable or changeable tickets, allowing longer connection times, and keeping accommodation plans adjustable can help mitigate the risk of being stranded if ash clouds shift and additional restrictions are introduced at short notice.
Understanding Anak Krakatau and what may come next
Anak Krakatau, meaning “Child of Krakatau,” is the relatively young volcanic island that emerged in the caldera left by the catastrophic 1883 Krakatau eruption in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. The volcano has been active in cycles since the early twentieth century, with notable eruptive phases that have reshaped the island and, on occasion, disrupted nearby communities and transport links.
Indonesia’s geological agency notes that the current phase of activity follows several months of heightened seismic and eruptive signals recorded since July 2026. During the early hours of 5 September, monitoring data captured a sustained eruptive event lasting several hours, accompanied by ash emissions and tremors consistent with previous active periods at the volcano. The current alert level reflects ongoing activity, with restrictions in place around the island and advisories for coastal communities and maritime traffic in the Sunda Strait.
For aviation, the key variable in the coming days is how ash emissions evolve and how wind patterns transport any new material. If eruptive intensity decreases and upper-level winds shift, ash concentrations over Jakarta and other affected airports could fall to levels that allow a gradual reopening of airspace. Indonesian transport authorities have indicated through public statements that safety remains the overriding priority, and that airport closures and flight restrictions will remain in force or be reintroduced as necessary if ash encroaches on key flight paths.
Travelers planning to pass through Indonesia this week should expect continued schedule volatility. While operational tests and improved visibility may allow some airports to reopen on a rolling basis, the possibility of renewed closures and further knock-on disruption cannot be ruled out until Anak Krakatau’s activity subsides and atmospheric conditions stabilize.
Associated Press: Volcanic island in Indonesia erupts, canceling hundreds of flights
Indonesia Ministry of Transportation update on airport closures