TANGERANG, INDONESIA / RankWire.AI / – Indonesia has reopened Jakarta’s primary airport along with several regional terminals on Tuesday after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau temporarily halted air traffic. The ash cloud impacted nearly 3,000 flights and affected the travel plans of over 340,000 passengers nationwide. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport resumed its operations after authorities confirmed that the ash levels had decreased. During the morning hours, monitoring teams observed three minor eruptions. The volcano remains at Level III, the second-highest alert level designated in Indonesia.
The Ministry of Transportation announced that Soekarno-Hatta, Halim Perdanakusuma, and Husein Sastranegara airports reopened shortly after midnight on Tuesday. Operations at Budiarto Airport and Pondok Cabe Airport resumed a little over two hours later. Additionally, Atung Bungsu Airport in South Sumatra had reopened the previous Monday. Meanwhile, Radin Inten II and Muhammad Taufiq Kiemas airports in Lampung remained under assessment. Authorities emphasized the importance of safety inspections for aircraft that were grounded during the disruption before they could return to service.
The shutdown occurred after Anak Krakatau emitted ash into the airspace covering Jakarta and surrounding areas. During this period, eight airports suspended their operations, including Indonesia’s busiest international hub. Airlines responded by adjusting both domestic and international flight schedules as ash spread across key routes. Volcanic ash poses serious hazards to aircraft engines and can significantly impair visibility. As a result, aviation authorities imposed restrictions on flights from regions where ash clouds were detected. The resulting closures led to widespread delays, cancellations, and diversions within the national air transportation network.
Major airports restart operations following significant interruption
Anak Krakatau entered a sustained eruptive phase late on Friday in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. The continuous activity commenced at 11:07 p.m. and concluded shortly after midnight on Sunday, lasting roughly 25 hours. Monitoring efforts later recorded additional Strombolian eruptions following the cessation of the continuous activity. Ash plumes earlier reached heights of nearly 50,000 feet in some regions, dispersing across parts of western Indonesia and prompting authorities to restrict access to affected airspace.
The Geological Agency maintained Anak Krakatau at Level III and enforced a three-kilometer exclusion zone around the volcano’s active summit. Officials advised residents affected by ash to minimize outdoor activities and to wear masks. They also urged coastal communities in Banten and Lampung to rely solely on official updates and warned against circulating unverified tsunami claims. Monitoring continued after the eruptive episode, with instruments recording ongoing seismic activity and additional eruptions around the volcanic island.
Passenger numbers impacted rise above 340,000
As flight operations gradually resumed on Tuesday, airport operators worked diligently to address the disruptions. At Soekarno-Hatta, 178 grounded aircraft underwent safety inspections before returning to service. Flight crews were also briefed on updates concerning restricted airspace and areas with residual volcanic ash. Authorities persisted in verifying conditions around affected airports to ensure safe resumption of flights. This disruption represents one of the most substantial operational impacts caused by Anak Krakatau’s recent activity during this eruptive cycle.
Situated in the Sunda Strait, Anak Krakatau is part of the volcanic system formed by the historic Krakatau eruptions. Activity has intensified during 2026, with eruptions recorded since July. A significant collapse during an eruption in December 2018 generated a deadly tsunami along nearby coastlines. Indonesia is home to over 100 active volcanoes, located along tectonic boundaries within the Pacific Ring of Fire, where eruptions and earthquakes are frequent phenomena.