Indonesia was forced to suspend operations at eight of its airports, including Jakarta's primary international airport, Soekarno-Hatta, following the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau. The volcano, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, began erupting on September 4th, with volcanic ash reaching the airspace around Soekarno-Hatta by early September 6th. This led to the initial closure of the airport from 1:30 AM to 5:30 AM on Sunday, September 6th, with the suspension subsequently extended multiple times due to ongoing eruptive activity and shifting winds.
The widespread disruption impacted a total of 1,558 flights across the eight affected airports, leaving an estimated 170,000 passengers stranded. At Soekarno-Hatta alone, 301 flights, including 58 international services, were canceled. Airlines like Singapore Airlines and its budget arm Scoot canceled 19 and 12 flights, respectively, between Singapore and Jakarta. Garuda Indonesia also canceled all flights to and from Soekarno-Hatta until noon on September 7th, and flights to other affected airports like Husein Sastranegara in Bandung and Radin Inten II in Lampung.
The closures were extended until at least midnight on Monday, September 7th, for all eight airports. The decision was made after meteorological agencies reported that wind patterns were shifting, carrying volcanic ash eastward at a speed of 5 knots at a flight level of 15,000 feet. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi stated that alternative airports such as Kertajati in West Java, Juanda in East Java, and Semarang in Central Java were prepared to handle diverted flights, with two Jakarta-bound flights from Jeddah and Madinah already redirected to Kertajati International Airport. Airlines were urged to process refunds quickly for affected passengers.
While there were no immediate reports of casualties or tsunami threats, the Indonesian Health Ministry activated Health Emergency Operating Centres to prepare for potential respiratory, eye, and skin problems caused by the volcanic ash. Measures included preparing nebulisers, oxygen concentrators, eye drops, and ointments. Authorities advised residents and visitors to stay at least 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) from Anak Krakatau's active crater and urged the public, especially in Jakarta, Banten, Lampung, and areas around the Sunda Strait, to remain calm but vigilant.
