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Qatar Airways has cancelled four flights between Doha and Jakarta as volcanic ash from Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau eruption disrupts operations at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and triggers wider airport closures across western Indonesia.
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Four Qatar Airways services suspended on 6 and 7 September
According to Qatar Airways’ latest travel alerts and regional media coverage, the airline has cancelled flights QR956 and QR957 on 6 September 2026, along with QR954 and QR955 on 7 September, on the busy Doha–Jakarta route. Publicly available information indicates the decision is directly linked to volcanic ash affecting Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) following renewed activity at Anak Krakatau in the Sunda Strait.
Travel advisories state that the four services have been removed from the schedule while airport operations are constrained, and passengers are being urged to check updated flight status before leaving for the airport. Some flights are being rescheduled where possible, but the affected QR9xx services on 6 and 7 September have been listed as cancelled rather than delayed.
Jakarta is one of Qatar Airways’ primary Southeast Asian destinations, typically served multiple times per day from Doha. The cancellation of four consecutive rotations over two days effectively suspends a significant portion of the carrier’s normal capacity on the route at the start of the working week.
Anak Krakatau eruption forces Jakarta airport shutdowns
The cancellations follow a series of operational restrictions at Soekarno-Hatta after the Anak Krakatau volcano began erupting in early September. Indonesian transport authorities and local reporting describe ash plumes spreading over the capital region, prompting successive temporary closures of the country’s main international gateway. Notices to airmen (NOTAMs) have extended these restrictions several times as monitoring shows ash lingering in key flight corridors.
Coverage from Indonesian and international outlets notes that Soekarno-Hatta initially halted operations on 6 September, with the closure extended into 7 September as test results continued to detect volcanic ash in the airport vicinity. Officials overseeing aviation safety have stressed that the airport can only reopen once there is clear confirmation that ash concentrations have fallen to safe levels in the approaches and departure paths.
The Anak Krakatau eruption has also led to suspensions at multiple other airports in western Indonesia, compounding the disruption. However, Soekarno-Hatta’s role as the country’s primary hub means that any extended shutdown has an outsized impact on both domestic and international connectivity, including long-haul services from the Gulf.
Thousands of passengers caught in wider regional disruption
Published figures from Indonesian aviation authorities and airport operators indicate that hundreds of flights have been delayed, diverted or cancelled since the eruption intensified, stranding tens of thousands of travellers across the network. At Soekarno-Hatta alone, more than 200 flights were reported disrupted on 6 September, with subsequent updates suggesting the total number of affected services across eight airports has climbed much higher.
Media images from Jakarta show passengers queuing at check-in and customer service desks as they seek rebooking options, refunds or overnight accommodation. Similar scenes have been reported at other Indonesian airports where services to and from the capital have been suspended whenever Soekarno-Hatta is declared unavailable due to ash.
With Jakarta acting as a key regional transfer point, the knock-on effects extend beyond Indonesia’s borders. Airlines from Southeast Asia, the Middle East and other regions that serve Soekarno-Hatta have been forced to adjust schedules, with some rerouting passengers via alternative hubs and others opting to cancel services outright until the situation stabilises.
Safety concerns drive conservative approach to ash clouds
Volcanic ash poses a well-documented hazard to jet aircraft, with fine particles capable of damaging engines, sensors and cockpit windows, as well as impacting visibility. Aviation safety protocols in Indonesia and internationally call for a highly cautious response whenever ash is detected along flight paths, particularly in busy terminal airspace where climb and descent profiles are concentrated.
Indonesia’s Transportation Ministry and meteorological agencies have been publishing regular updates on ash dispersion from Anak Krakatau, including altitude, direction and density assessments. These reports are used by air navigation service providers and airlines to determine whether specific routes or airports can operate safely at any given time.
In the case of Soekarno-Hatta, authorities have repeatedly extended airfield closures when monitoring data suggested persistent ash contamination at key altitudes. Airlines such as Qatar Airways, which operate long-haul widebody jets into Jakarta, are aligning schedules with those restrictions and adopting a conservative stance when visibility on ash conditions remains limited.
What Qatar Airways passengers to and from Jakarta should expect
For travellers booked on Qatar Airways services between Doha and Jakarta, publicly available travel alerts advise monitoring flight status closely in the coming days. While only four specific flights have been confirmed as cancelled so far, the airline has indicated that additional delays or schedule changes are possible if ash-related restrictions at Soekarno-Hatta are extended or reintroduced.
Passengers holding tickets on affected flights are generally being offered the option to rebook on alternative dates or request travel vouchers or refunds, in line with the airline’s disruption policies published on its website. Those with imminent departure times are encouraged to use digital channels and contact centers to confirm arrangements rather than travelling to the airport without a confirmed operating flight.
With Indonesian authorities signaling that airport operations will be reviewed as volcanic activity and ash dispersion patterns evolve, schedules on the Doha–Jakarta corridor may remain fluid for several days. Travellers connecting onward from Jakarta to domestic destinations or other international cities are being advised, through public information notices, to allow extra time and build flexibility into their plans while the impact of the Anak Krakatau eruption on aviation continues to unfold.
The Peninsula Qatar: Qatar Airways cancels Doha–Jakarta flights due to volcanic ash
The Jakarta Post: Soekarno-Hatta airport suspends operations after volcanic eruption