Indonesia halts flights at main airport due to Anak Krakatoa volcanic ash
Quick Look
Indonesia suspended operations at Soekarno-Hatta international airport on Sunday due to volcanic ash from Anak Krakatoa eruptions, affecting over 22,000 passengers and 209 flights, with extensions to the closure until 1:30pm local time and cancellations on domestic and international routes including to Singapore, Doha, Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur.
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Why It Matters
Anak Krakatoa emerged from the sea in the caldera formed after the 1883 eruption of Mount Krakatoa, which killed an estimated 35,000 people and was one of the deadliest volcanic eruptions in human history.
Indonesia halted operations at its main international airport on Sunday due to an ash cloud from the Anak Krakatoa volcano.
Anak Krakatoa erupted on Saturday, producing lava and booming sounds that could be heard up to 700km away (435 miles), Indonesia’s geology agency said.
Two more eruptions were recorded on Sunday.
Ash was detected in the airspace around Soekarno-Hatta international airport near Jakarta, prompting authorities to suspend operations. They announced several extensions of the shutdown, and at the time of writing the airport was to remain closed to flights until 1.30pm local time on Sunday.
“The latest paper test … showed positive results indicating the spread of volcanic ash in the Soekarno-Hatta international airport area,” the transport ministry said.
Volcanic ash can damage airliners’ jet engines – baking on to hot internal parts and quickly wearing out turbine blades, as well as clogging fuel and air systems. It can also damage the pilots’ windscreens.
More than 22,000 passengers and 209 flights were affected, the transportation ministry said, in particular those bound to and from Singapore.
Other affected international routes included Doha, Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur.
At least 16 domestic flights to Bali were cancelled, local airport authorities said.
Anak Krakatoa, which means Child of Krakatoa, sits in a strait that separates the islands of Java and Sumatra. The volcano has been sporadically active since it emerged from the sea in the caldera formed after the 1883 eruption of Mount Krakatoa. That was one of the deadliest and most destructive volcanic eruptions in human history with an estimated 35,000 people killed.
Port authorities said ships passing through the strait were prohibited to approach within 3km radius of the volcano and should be vigilant for danger.
With Agence France-Presse
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Airport operations will resume after 1:30pm local time on Sunday if ash levels remain safe.
Likely · Within hours
Open Questions
- How long will the volcanic activity continue?
- What is the long-term impact on air travel routes in the region?
- Are there any risks to marine traffic beyond the 3km exclusion zone?
