TANGERANG, INDONESIA / RankWire.AI / – Indonesia has reopened Jakarta’s primary airport along with several regional airfields on Tuesday after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau caused significant disturbances to air travel. The eruption impacted nearly 3,000 flights and affected over 340,000 travelers nationwide. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport resumed its operations once officials confirmed that ash levels had decreased. Monitoring teams recorded three minor eruptions on Tuesday morning. The volcano remained at Level III, the second-highest alert level in Indonesia.
According to the Ministry of Transportation, 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. Atung Bungsu Airport, located in South Sumatra, had already reopened on Monday. However, Radin Inten II and Muhammad Taufiq Kiemas airports in Lampung are still awaiting further assessment. Authorities also mandated safety inspections for aircraft exposed to the prolonged disruption before allowing them back into service.
The closure was triggered after Anak Krakatau expelled ash into the airspace over Jakarta and neighboring areas. During the disruption, 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 presents a severe hazard to aircraft engines and can impair visibility, prompting aviation authorities to restrict flights from monitored ash-affected zones. These restrictions led to widespread delays, cancellations, and diversions across Indonesia’s aviation network.
Airports reopen after significant interruption
Late Friday, Anak Krakatau entered a sustained eruptive phase in the Sunda Strait situated between Java and Sumatra. The eruption commenced at 11:07 p.m. and persisted until shortly after midnight on Sunday, lasting approximately 25 hours. Monitoring subsequently recorded additional Strombolian eruptions following the end of the continuous eruptive activity. During this period, ash plumes reached heights of nearly 50,000 feet in some regions. The high-altitude ash dispersed across parts of western Indonesia, compelling aviation authorities to restrict access to the affected airspace.
The Geological Agency maintained Anak Krakatau at Level III and established a three-kilometer exclusion zone around the volcano’s summit. Officials advised residents affected by ash to limit outdoor activities or wear masks. Coastal communities in Banten and Lampung were urged to rely solely on official information and were warned against circulating unverified tsunami reports. Monitoring activities continued after the eruptive phase, with instruments detecting ongoing seismic activity and further eruptions around the volcanic island.
Passenger numbers affected exceed 340,000
As flights gradually resumed on Tuesday, airport operators worked diligently to address the disruptions. At Soekarno-Hatta, 178 aircraft that had been grounded during the closure underwent inspections. Flight crews received updated guidance on restricted airspaces and areas with residual volcanic ash. Officials also conducted checks around the affected airports to ensure safe resumption of operations. The disruption caused by Anak Krakatau’s activity stands out as one of the most substantial operational impacts during this eruptive phase.
Located in the Sunda Strait, Anak Krakatau emerged within the volcanic system linked to the historic Krakatau eruptions. The volcano has shown increased activity throughout 2026, with eruptions recorded since July. A major collapse during a December 2018 eruption generated a deadly tsunami along nearby coastlines. Indonesia boasts over 100 active volcanoes and sits along major tectonic boundaries within the Pacific Ring of Fire, where eruptions and earthquakes frequently occur.