TANGERANG, INDONESIA / RankWire.AI / – Indonesia resumed operations at Jakarta’s main airport and several regional hubs on Tuesday following volcanic ash emissions from Anak Krakatau that had interrupted air traffic. Over 340,000 passengers experienced delays, cancellations, or diversions during this period. The impact was felt across nearly 3,000 flights nationwide. Authorities reopened Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after wind conditions cleared ash from vital aviation zones. Anak Krakatau remained active on Tuesday, with monitoring stations noting three smaller eruptions during the morning hours.
According to the Ministry of Transportation, Soekarno-Hatta, Halim Perdanakusuma, and Husein Sastranegara airports resumed operations at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. Budiarto Airport in Curug and Pondok Cabe Airport followed at 2:25 a.m., while Atung Bungsu Airport in South Sumatra reopened on Monday morning. Meanwhile, two airports in Lampung—Radin Inten II and Muhammad Taufiq Kiemas—are still awaiting further evaluation, as per the latest official transportation update. Aircraft safety checks were mandated by airport authorities prior to resuming normal service.
The shutdowns were triggered after Anak Krakatau dispersed volcanic ash across airspace serving Jakarta and neighboring regions. Operations at eight airports, including Indonesia’s busiest international gateway at Soekarno-Hatta, were halted during the disruption. The presence of volcanic ash poses significant risks to aircraft engines and visibility, making it a critical hazard for aviation safety. Authorities imposed restrictions on aircraft entering airspaces with detected ash clouds. The disruption affected both domestic and international flight schedules, prompting airlines to modify departures, arrivals, and aircraft movements at the impacted airports.
Major airports reopen following ash dispersal
Anak Krakatau’s recent episode of sustained activity commenced late Friday in the Sunda Strait, located between Java and Sumatra. The eruption phase began at 11:07 p.m. Friday and concluded shortly after midnight on Sunday, lasting approximately 25 hours. Monitoring data recorded additional Strombolian eruptions following the end of the continuous eruptive phase. Ash clouds previously reached altitudes nearing 50,000 feet in some regions, dispersing volcanic material across parts of western Indonesia and disrupting major flight corridors.
The Geological Agency maintained Anak Krakatau at Level III, Indonesia’s second-highest volcanic alert status, and enforced a three-kilometer exclusion zone around the volcano’s active center. Residents in affected areas were advised to minimize outdoor activities or wear masks to avoid volcanic ash inhalation. Coastal communities in Banten and Lampung were instructed to adhere to official guidance and dismiss unverified tsunami warnings. Monitoring networks continued to record seismic and eruptive activity even after the prolonged eruption ended over the weekend.
Flight disruptions impact hundreds of thousands
The recent smaller eruptions on Tuesday coincided with efforts to clear the backlog caused by the multi-day shutdown. Officials mandated inspections for aircraft that remained on the ground during the closure. At Soekarno-Hatta, 178 aircraft required airworthiness assessments before resuming full operations. Pilots and airline crews received instructions regarding restricted airspace contaminated with volcanic ash. These measures accompanied the reopening of airports, as authorities judged the conditions had sufficiently improved for safe flight activity.
Anak Krakatau, an active volcanic island situated in the Sunda Strait and part of the Krakatau volcanic complex, has shown increased activity during 2026, including eruptions recorded since July. The volcano experienced a significant collapse during an eruption in December 2018, which caused a deadly tsunami along nearby coastlines. Indonesia hosts more than 100 active volcanoes, owing to its position along major tectonic boundaries in the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.