TANGERANG, INDONESIA / RankWire.AI / – Indonesia has reopened Jakarta’s primary airport along with several regional hubs on Tuesday following a volcanic ash cloud from Anak Krakatau that temporarily halted air travel. Over 340,000 passengers encountered delays, cancellations, or diversions amid the disruption. Close to 3,000 flights across the country experienced operational impacts. After winds cleared ash from critical aviation zones, authorities resumed operations at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. Anak Krakatau stayed active on Tuesday, with monitoring stations recording three smaller eruptions during the morning hours.
The Ministry of Transportation confirmed that Soekarno-Hatta, Halim Perdanakusuma, and Husein Sastranegara airports restarted operations at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday. Budiarto Airport in Curug and Pondok Cabe Airport followed suit at 2:25 a.m. Meanwhile, Atung Bungsu Airport in South Sumatra had reopened earlier on Monday morning. Two airports located in Lampung, Radin Inten II and Muhammad Taufiq Kiemas, are still awaiting further assessments according to the latest official transport update. Prior to resuming normal services, airport authorities mandated safety inspections of aircraft.
The temporary closures were triggered when Anak Krakatau expelled volcanic ash into airspace covering Jakarta and its surrounding regions. During this period, eight airports suspended operations, including Indonesia’s busiest international gateway at Soekarno-Hatta. The presence of volcanic ash poses significant risks as it can damage aircraft engines and impair visibility, creating serious safety hazards for flights. Authorities also imposed restrictions on aircraft entering airspace where ash monitoring detected potential hazards. The disruption impacted both domestic and international flight schedules, prompting airlines to adjust departures, arrivals, and aircraft movements at affected airports.
Major airports reopen after ash clears the skies
Anak Krakatau entered a prolonged phase of activity late Friday in the Sunda Strait, situated between Java and Sumatra. A persistent eruptive episode commenced at 11:07 p.m. on Friday and concluded shortly after midnight on Sunday, lasting approximately 25 hours. Monitoring systems continued to record additional Strombolian eruptions following the end of this continuous phase. Earlier ash clouds reached altitudes nearing 50,000 feet in some regions, dispersing volcanic material over parts of western Indonesia and disrupting key flight corridors.
The Geological Agency maintained Anak Krakatau at Level III, which is Indonesia’s second-highest alert level for volcanoes. Authorities enforced a three-kilometer exclusion zone around the volcano’s active crater. Officials advised residents affected by ash fallout to limit outdoor activities or wear masks. Coastal communities in Banten and Lampung were instructed to adhere to official guidance and to dismiss unverified tsunami alerts. The volcano’s monitoring network continued recording seismic activity and eruptive events even after the longer eruption episode concluded over the weekend.
Air travel chaos impacts hundreds of thousands across Indonesia
The three smaller eruptions on Tuesday occurred as airports navigated the aftermath of several days of shutdown. Officials mandated inspections for aircraft that remained grounded during the closure. At Soekarno-Hatta, a total of 178 planes underwent airworthiness assessments before resuming full operations. Pilots and operational crews received specific instructions regarding restricted airspace contaminated with volcanic ash. These safety measures coincided with the reopening of airports once officials confirmed that conditions had sufficiently improved for safe flight activity.
Anak Krakatau is an active volcanic island located within the Sunda Strait and is part of the Krakatau volcanic complex. Its activity has notably increased in 2026, with eruptions recorded since July. The volcano was also involved in a significant collapse during an eruption in December 2018, which triggered a deadly tsunami along nearby coastlines. Indonesia hosts more than 100 active volcanoes due to its position along major tectonic boundaries within the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.