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Volcanic ash from Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau has shut down Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport for a second day, disrupting hundreds of flights at Southeast Asia’s second-busiest air hub and stranding tens of thousands of travelers across the region.
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Jakarta hub grinds to a halt as ash cloud spreads
Flight operations at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, located west of Jakarta, were suspended on Sunday, September 6, after ash from Mount Anak Krakatau drifted across key approach and departure paths. By Monday, September 7, publicly available information indicated that the closure and partial suspensions at surrounding airports had extended into a second day, with disruption radiating across Indonesia’s aviation network.
Data compiled from airport statements and regional media reports shows that several hundred flights were cancelled, delayed or diverted at Soekarno-Hatta alone on Sunday, with more cancellations added on Monday as ash remained detectable in the airspace above the capital. One aviation-focused outlet reported that more than 300 movements were affected during a 12-hour window on September 6, while broader counts cited well over 1,500 flights disrupted nationwide as the situation developed.
The Anak Krakatau eruption began intensifying on Friday, September 4, before sending towering ash columns into the atmosphere over the weekend. Satellite and aviation meteorology products cited in regional coverage described plumes climbing to around 50,000 feet, high enough to intersect major jet corridors that connect Southeast Asia with Australia, the Middle East and Northeast Asia.
While Anak Krakatau sits roughly 150 kilometers from Jakarta in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, prevailing winds steered the ash cloud over densely populated areas of western Java. Aviation navigation authorities responded by activating established volcanic-ash contingency procedures, including closing affected runways and rerouting traffic around contaminated airspace.
Southeast Asia’s second-busiest airport under pressure
The timing of the eruption has amplified its impact because of Soekarno-Hatta’s status as one of the region’s key aviation hubs. According to seat-capacity data from industry provider OAG, the airport ranked as Southeast Asia’s second-busiest in 2024, behind Singapore Changi, with more than 39 million scheduled seats over the year. That volume reflects not only Indonesia’s large domestic market but also its role as a connector for traffic between South Asia, Australia and other parts of Southeast Asia.
With the suspension of departures and arrivals, terminal departure boards in Jakarta showed long stretches of cancelled or delayed services on Sunday and Monday. Reports from multiple regional news outlets indicate that tens of thousands of passengers were left in limbo, with some estimates placing the number of affected travelers at Soekarno-Hatta alone near 30,000 over the first 48 hours of disruption.
Because Soekarno-Hatta serves as a central node for domestic transfers inside Indonesia, knock-on effects spread quickly to secondary airports. Passengers connecting from provincial cities through Jakarta to international destinations saw itineraries unravel as aircraft and crews became out of position. Airlines began thinning schedules, prioritising repatriation and essential links once limited operating windows reopened at individual airports.
Analysts cited in regional business publications noted that the closure of a hub airport of this size has a cascading effect on aircraft rotations, terminal capacity and network planning, often taking several days to unwind even after the ash threat subsides. For carriers with narrow operating margins, the costs of fuel, crew repositioning and passenger care can be significant.
Eight Indonesian airports affected across two days
Soekarno-Hatta has not been the only facility hit. Publicly available information from Indonesia’s air navigation service and local media indicates that up to eight airports either closed fully or suspended large portions of their operations as ash advisories expanded. These included hubs in Sumatra and Java, with some regional fields initially halting operations as a precaution while conditions were assessed.
Airlines across Southeast Asia adjusted schedules in response. Coverage from Singapore and Malaysian media outlets lists cancelled or delayed flights operated by Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia and Indonesia’s Lion Air Group on routes linking Jakarta with Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and other regional cities. Several carriers advised passengers booked between September 5 and 9 that change fees would be waived and refunds or travel credits would be available for affected services.
Beyond commercial airlines, flight-tracking communities reported diversions of long-haul services that would normally overfly western Indonesia on corridors between East Asia and Australia. Some aircraft rerouted to avoid the ash cloud, while others made technical stops at alternate airports when their planned refuelling or crew-change points were unavailable.
Indonesian transport and aviation regulators have indicated through public advisories that airport reopening times will depend on ongoing assessments of ash concentration at different flight levels. As of Monday afternoon local time, several airports, including Soekarno-Hatta, were still listed as closed or partially restricted through at least early evening, with the possibility of further extensions if ash remains present.
Travelers face uncertainty, airlines roll out waivers
For travelers caught up in the disruption, the most immediate challenge has been uncertainty around when flights will resume. Passenger accounts shared with local media describe crowded terminals, long queues at airline service desks and difficulty securing updated information as schedules changed repeatedly throughout Sunday and Monday.
Major carriers operating through Jakarta have published travel advisories urging passengers to monitor official websites and mobile apps rather than heading to the airport without confirmed rebookings. Some airlines have outlined flexible options, including free date changes within a defined travel window, route changes to alternative Indonesian gateways where space is available or full refunds for passengers who choose to cancel trips entirely.
Travel industry commentators in Singapore and Jakarta have also drawn attention to the wider regional impact, particularly for holidaymakers heading to Indonesian destinations such as Bali. While Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport has largely remained open, reports highlight intermittent delays and cancellations on routes that depend on aircraft and crews rotating through Jakarta, leading tour operators to brace for short-term itinerary changes.
Consumer advocates quoted in regional analyses are encouraging affected passengers to keep documentation of expenses related to the disruption, such as additional accommodation or local transport, in case airlines or insurers offer reimbursement under applicable policies. Travelers holding comprehensive travel insurance are being directed to check volcanic activity and natural disaster clauses, which vary widely between providers.
Volcanic risk a recurring challenge for Indonesian aviation
The Anak Krakatau eruption is the latest reminder of the complex relationship between Indonesia’s geography and its aviation system. The country sits along the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire and hosts more than 100 active volcanoes, several of which have disrupted air travel in recent decades through ash emissions that can damage jet engines and reduce visibility.
Anak Krakatau itself has a storied history. The volcano emerged from the sea in the early 20th century near the site of the catastrophic 1883 Krakatau eruption, which generated tsunamis and global atmospheric effects. In recent years, Anak Krakatau has produced periodic eruptions, including a 2018 event that triggered a partial collapse of the volcano’s cone and deadly waves along nearby coastlines.
In the wake of past incidents, Indonesian authorities, airlines and international aviation bodies have developed detailed contingency plans for volcanic ash events. Documentation from the International Civil Aviation Organization describes how airspace closures, ash-dispersion modelling and close coordination between meteorological agencies and air traffic management are used to limit risk to aircraft while maintaining essential connectivity when possible.
With the current episode, regional observers are watching closely to see how quickly normal operations can be restored at Soekarno-Hatta and other affected airports once ash concentrations decline. The pace of recovery will depend on the volcano’s activity in the coming days, the speed at which aircraft and crews can be repositioned, and the capacity of alternative airports to absorb rerouted traffic.
For now, publicly available advisories continue to stress that safety considerations will dictate when and how flights resume over western Indonesia’s busy skies. Travelers planning to transit Jakarta or nearby hubs in the short term are being urged to build flexibility into their itineraries and to stay alert to updates as the situation evolves.
CNA: Jakarta airport suspends flights due to Mount Anak Krakatau ash
Al Jazeera: Anak Krakatau eruption shutters Indonesian airports
ABC News: Mount Anak Krakatau eruption halts Jakarta flights