Indonesia Reopens Five Airports After Anak Krakatau Eruption Disrupts Thousands of Flights

Indonesia has reopened its main airport in Jakarta and four other airports after volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau forced authorities to suspend operations, disrupting thousands of flights and affecting hundreds of thousands of travellers.

The five airports resumed operations on Tuesday after emergency crews cleared volcanic ash from runways, aircraft operating areas and other critical infrastructure.

However, aviation authorities warned that it could take additional time for flight schedules to return fully to normal.

The disruption reportedly affected more than 340,000 passengers and approximately 2,900 flights, leaving large numbers of travellers stranded or facing delays and cancellations.

Videos released by Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta showed firefighters and fire trucks working to remove thick layers of volcanic ash from runways and other important operational facilities.

Indonesia’s Transport Minister, Dudy Purwagandhi, urged passengers to remain patient as authorities conduct safety inspections before allowing more aircraft to resume normal operations.

Dudy said the first aircraft to depart after the reopening was a cargo plane, explaining that aviation officials needed to ensure that aircraft and airport facilities were safe before passenger services could fully resume.

He added that airlines would gradually increase their operations as inspections were completed, meaning passengers could continue to experience delays in the immediate aftermath of the disruption.

Mount Anak Krakatau, one of Indonesia’s active volcanoes, is located in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra.

The volcano recorded a major eruption on Saturday and continued to show signs of significant activity in the following days.

According to Lana Saria, head of Indonesia’s Geology Agency, Anak Krakatau erupted at least three times on Tuesday morning alone.

She said the latest eruptions had not produced an impact as severe as some of the volcano’s previous eruptions, but authorities would continue to closely monitor its activity.

Indonesia is home to around 130 active volcanoes and sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly seismically active region where several tectonic plates meet.

The country regularly experiences earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other geological hazards.
Anak Krakatau is particularly well known because of its deadly eruption in 2018.

Part of the volcano’s crater collapsed into the sea, generating a powerful tsunami that struck coastal areas of Java and Sumatra.

The 2018 tsunami killed more than 400 people and caused widespread destruction along the affected coastlines.

Authorities are continuing to monitor Anak Krakatau while assessing the potential risks to aviation, nearby communities and infrastructure.

Although the reopening of the five airports marks a return towards normal operations, officials have cautioned that flight schedules may remain disrupted until safety checks and inspections are fully completed.

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