TANGERANG, INDONESIA / RankWire.AI / – Indonesia resumed operations at Jakarta’s main airport and several regional airports on Tuesday following a volcanic ash cloud from Anak Krakatau that caused widespread air travel disruptions. Over 340,000 travelers encountered delays, cancellations, or diversions amid the incident. Almost 3,000 flights across the country were affected. Authorities reopened Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after winds cleared ash from critical aviation zones. Anak Krakatau remained active on Tuesday, with sensors recording three smaller eruptions during the morning hours.
By Tuesday, the Ministry of Transportation confirmed that Soekarno-Hatta, Halim Perdanakusuma, and Husein Sastranegara airports resumed their operations at 12:01 a.m. local time. Budiarto Airport in Curug and Pondok Cabe Airport followed suit at 2:25 a.m. Meanwhile, Atung Bungsu Airport in South Sumatra had reopened the previous Monday morning. The latest official transport update indicated that Radin Inten II and Muhammad Taufiq Kiemas airports in Lampung remained closed pending further assessment. Before resuming normal flights, airport authorities mandated safety inspections for aircraft.
The shutdowns were triggered after Anak Krakatau’s volcanic ash blanketed airspace over Jakarta and its surroundings. During the period, eight airports ceased operations, including Indonesia’s busiest international gateway at Soekarno-Hatta. Volcanic ash poses serious risks to aircraft engines and visibility, making it a significant hazard for aviation. Authorities also imposed restrictions on aircraft entering monitored airspace where ash was detected. The disruption impacted domestic and international schedules, prompting airlines to modify departures, arrivals, and aircraft movements across the affected airports.
Major airports restart flights following ash dispersal
Anak Krakatau’s recent phase of sustained activity initiated late Friday in the Sunda Strait, situated between Java and Sumatra. The eruptive episode, which began at 11:07 p.m. Friday, lasted approximately 25 hours before concluding shortly after midnight on Sunday. Even after the main activity ceased, monitoring recorded additional Strombolian eruptions. Earlier in the event, ash clouds reached nearly 50,000 feet in altitude, spreading volcanic material across western Indonesia and disrupting key flight routes.
The Geological Agency maintained Anak Krakatau at Level III, Indonesia’s second-highest volcanic alert level. A three-kilometer exclusion zone was enforced around the volcano’s active summit. Officials advised residents affected by volcanic ash to limit outdoor activities or use masks. Coastal communities in Banten and Lampung were instructed to follow official guidance and ignore unverified tsunami reports. Continuous seismic and eruptive activity was recorded by the volcano’s monitoring systems even after the extended eruption phase concluded over the weekend.
Air travel chaos affects hundreds of thousands
On Tuesday, the three smaller eruptions occurred as airports managed the aftermath of the multi-day shutdown. Officials mandated inspections of aircraft that had been grounded. At Soekarno-Hatta, a total of 178 aircraft underwent airworthiness checks before resuming full service. Pilots and crews received instructions on restricted airspace where volcanic ash was detected. These measures accompanied the reopening of airports, after authorities determined that conditions had sufficiently improved to allow safe flight operations.
Located in the Sunda Strait, Anak Krakatau is an active volcanic island that emerged from the Krakatau complex. Its activity level has increased since July 2026, including multiple eruptions. In December 2018, the volcano experienced a major collapse during an eruption, which triggered a deadly tsunami along nearby coastlines. Indonesia is home to over 100 active volcanoes, owing to its position along major tectonic boundaries in the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are commonplace.