TANGERANG, INDONESIA / RankWire.AI / – Indonesia resumed operations at Jakarta’s main airport and several regional airports on Tuesday following volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau disrupting air traffic. The disturbance caused delays, cancellations, or diversions for over 340,000 travelers. Close to 3,000 flights across the country experienced disruptions. Authorities reopened Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after wind conditions cleared ash from vital aviation zones. Anak Krakatau remained active on Tuesday, with monitors 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. The latest official transport update indicated that Radin Inten II and Muhammad Taufiq Kiemas airports in Lampung still await further assessments. Additionally, airport authorities mandated aircraft safety inspections before normal flight activities could recommence.
The temporary closures occurred after Anak Krakatau expelled volcanic ash over airspaces serving Jakarta and its surroundings. During this period, operations at eight airports were halted, including Indonesia’s busiest international hub at Soekarno-Hatta. Volcanic ash poses severe risks to aviation by damaging engines and reducing visibility. Authorities also enforced restrictions on aircraft entering areas with detected ash. The disruption affected both domestic and international flight schedules, prompting airlines to adjust departures, arrivals, and aircraft movements across impacted airports.
Major airports reopen following ash clearance
The recent period of heightened activity at Anak Krakatau began late Friday in the Sunda Strait, which lies between Java and Sumatra. An ongoing eruptive event started at 11:07 p.m. that night and concluded shortly after midnight on Sunday, lasting approximately 25 hours. Monitoring systems recorded additional Strombolian eruptions following the end of the continuous phase. Earlier ash plumes reached altitudes nearing 50,000 feet in some regions, dispersing volcanic material across parts of western Indonesia and disrupting key flight corridors.
The Geological Agency maintained Anak Krakatau at Level III, which is Indonesia’s second-highest volcanic alert level. A three-kilometer exclusion zone around the volcano’s active crater remained in effect. Officials advised residents affected by volcanic ash to limit outdoor activities or wear masks. Coastal communities in Banten and Lampung were instructed to adhere to official guidance and disregard unverified tsunami reports. Monitoring networks continued recording seismic and eruptive activity after the extended eruption ended over the weekend.
Air travel disruptions impact hundreds of thousands
On Tuesday, the three smaller eruptions occurred amid efforts to manage the aftermath of the multi-day shutdown. Authorities mandated safety inspections for aircraft that remained grounded during the closure. At Soekarno-Hatta, 178 aircraft needed airworthiness assessments before they could resume service. Pilots and crews also received instructions regarding restricted airspace with volcanic ash. These measures accompanied the reopening of airports once conditions improved sufficiently for safe flight operations.
Situated in the Sunda Strait, Anak Krakatau is an active volcanic island that emerged from the Krakatau volcanic complex. Its activity has intensified during 2026, with eruptions recorded since July. The volcano experienced a significant collapse during an eruption in December 2018, which triggered a deadly tsunami along nearby coastlines. Indonesia’s landscape features over 100 active volcanoes, owing to its location along major tectonic boundaries in the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and eruptions are frequent occurrences.