TANGERANG, INDONESIA / RankWire.AI / – Indonesia resumed operations at Jakarta’s main airport and several regional hubs on Tuesday following a disruption caused by ash from Anak Krakatau. The volcanic activity impacted nearly 3,000 flights and over 340,000 passengers nationwide. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport cleared to reopen after authorities confirmed that ash levels had decreased. Monitoring teams recorded three smaller eruptions on Tuesday morning. The volcano remained at Level III, which is the second-highest alert level in Indonesia.
The Ministry of Transportation announced that Soekarno-Hatta, Halim Perdanakusuma, and Husein Sastranegara airports reopened shortly after midnight on Tuesday. Budiarto Airport and Pondok Cabe Airport resumed services a little more than two hours later. Additionally, Atung Bungsu Airport in South Sumatra reopened on Monday. Meanwhile, Radin Inten II and Muhammad Taufiq Kiemas airports in Lampung remained under assessment. Officials also mandated safety inspections for aircraft exposed to the extended disruption before returning to service.
The shutdown was triggered by Anak Krakatau sending ash into the airspace covering Jakarta and adjacent regions. During this period, eight airports suspended operations, including Indonesia’s busiest international hub. Airlines adapted their domestic and international schedules as ash spread across key flight routes. Volcanic ash presents serious hazards to aircraft engines and visibility. Consequently, aviation authorities restricted flights from areas where ash levels were monitored. The closures led to widespread delays, cancellations, and diversions across the national network.
Airports restart services following significant disruptions
Late Friday, Anak Krakatau entered a prolonged eruptive phase in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. The eruption persisted from 11:07 p.m. until shortly after midnight Sunday, lasting approximately 25 hours. Monitoring later detected additional Strombolian eruptions after the main activity ceased. Earlier ash plumes reached heights of nearly 50,000 feet in some regions. This high-altitude ash was carried across parts of western Indonesia, prompting aviation 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 summit. Officials advised those affected by ash to limit outdoor activities or wear masks. They also urged coastal communities in Banten and Lampung to rely on official updates and warned residents against circulating unverified tsunami warnings. Monitoring continued after the eruptive phase concluded, with instruments recording ongoing seismic activity and further eruptions around the volcanic island.
Passenger numbers exceed 340,000 amid ongoing disruptions
As flights gradually resumed on Tuesday, airport operators managed the aftermath of the shutdown. At Soekarno-Hatta, authorities conducted inspections on 178 aircraft that had remained on the ground during the closure. Flight crews received updated information regarding restricted airspace and zones where volcanic ash persisted. Officials continued assessing conditions at affected airports before fully restoring normal operations. This volcanic event marked one of the most significant operational impacts caused by Anak Krakatau’s activity during the current eruptive cycle.
Located in the Sunda Strait, Anak Krakatau formed within the volcanic system created by the historic Krakatau eruptions. The volcano has demonstrated increased activity throughout 2026, with eruptions recorded since July. A major collapse during a December 2018 eruption triggered a deadly tsunami along nearby coastlines. Indonesia boasts over 100 active volcanoes, situated along major tectonic boundaries within the Pacific Ring of Fire, where frequent volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are common.