TANGERANG, INDONESIA / RankWire.AI / – Indonesia restarted operations at Jakarta’s main airport along with several regional airports on Tuesday after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau caused disruptions in air travel. Over 340,000 travelers experienced delays, cancellations, or diversions as a result. The impact was felt across nearly 3,000 flights throughout Indonesia. Authorities reopened Soekarno-Hatta International Airport once winds cleared ash from crucial aviation zones. Anak Krakatau remained active on Tuesday, with monitoring stations recording three smaller eruptions during the morning hours.
The Ministry of Transportation announced that Soekarno-Hatta, Halim Perdanakusuma, and Husein Sastranegara airports resumed their operations at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday. Budiarto Airport in Curug and Pondok Cabe Airport followed suit at 2:25 a.m., while Atung Bungsu Airport in South Sumatra reopened earlier on Monday morning. Two airports in Lampung, Radin Inten II and Muhammad Taufiq Kiemas, are still awaiting further assessment according to the latest official transport updates. Prior to resuming normal operations, airport authorities mandated safety inspections for aircraft.
The shutdowns began after Anak Krakatau released volcanic ash that spread across airspace serving Jakarta and nearby regions. During the disruption, eight airports suspended operations, including Indonesia’s busiest international gateway at Soekarno-Hatta. Volcanic ash poses serious aviation risks because it can damage aircraft engines and impair visibility. Consequently, authorities also limited aircraft entry into monitored airspace where ash was detected. The disruption impacted both domestic and international flight schedules, prompting airlines to adjust departures, arrivals, and aircraft movements across affected airports.
Key airports reopen as ash clears
Anak Krakatau’s latest sustained activity started late Friday in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. A continuous eruptive event began at 11:07 p.m. on Friday and concluded shortly after midnight on Sunday, lasting approximately 25 hours. Monitoring recorded further Strombolian eruptions after the main phase ended. Earlier ash clouds reached altitudes close to 50,000 feet in some regions, dispersing volcanic material across parts of western Indonesia and disrupting major flight routes.
The Geological Agency kept Anak Krakatau at Level III, which is Indonesia’s second-highest volcanic alert level. Authorities maintained a three-kilometer exclusion zone around the volcano’s active center. Officials advised residents affected by volcanic ash to minimize outdoor activities or wear masks. Coastal communities in Banten and Lampung were instructed to follow official guidance and disregard unverified tsunami alerts. The volcano’s monitoring network continued recording seismic and eruptive activity even after the prolonged eruptive phase ended over the weekend.
Air travel impact extends to hundreds of thousands of travelers
The three smaller eruptions on Tuesday occurred as airports managed the aftermath of the multi-day shutdown. Officials mandated that operators and airlines inspect aircraft that remained on the ground during the ash event. At Soekarno-Hatta, 178 aircraft required airworthiness assessments before they could resume full service. Pilots and crew members also received instructions regarding restricted airspace containing volcanic ash. These measures accompanied the reopening process, following authorities’ assessment that conditions had sufficiently improved for flight operations.
Anak Krakatau, an active volcanic island located in the Sunda Strait, emerged from the Krakatau volcanic complex. Its activity has heightened during 2026, with eruptions recorded since July. The volcano also experienced a significant collapse during an eruption in December 2018, which triggered a deadly tsunami along nearby coastlines. Indonesia hosts over 100 active volcanoes due to its position along major tectonic boundaries in the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are frequent occurrences.