TANGERANG, INDONESIA / RankWire.AI / – Indonesia lifted restrictions on Jakarta’s primary airport along with several regional airfields on Tuesday after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau caused disturbances in flight operations. Nearly 3,000 flights and over 340,000 travelers across the nation were affected by the volcanic activity. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport resumed service once authorities confirmed that ash levels had decreased. Monitoring teams documented three smaller eruptions on Tuesday morning. The volcano remains 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 operations a little more than two hours later. Atung Bungsu Airport in South Sumatra had already reopened on Monday. Meanwhile, Radin Inten II and Muhammad Taufiq Kiemas airports in Lampung continued to await further evaluation. Officials also mandated safety inspections for aircraft exposed to the extended disruption before they could return to service.
The suspension of services was triggered by Anak Krakatau ejecting ash into the airspace over Jakarta and its surrounding regions. During the disturbance, eight airports halted operations, including Indonesia’s busiest international hub. Airlines responded by adjusting both domestic and international schedules as ash dispersed across primary flight corridors. Volcanic ash presents serious hazards to aircraft engines and can impair visibility. Flight restrictions were imposed by aviation authorities in areas where ash monitoring detected contamination. The closures led to widespread delays, cancellations, and diversions throughout the country’s air network.
Airports restore operations following extensive interruptions
Late Friday, Anak Krakatau entered a prolonged eruptive phase in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. Continuous activity commenced at 11:07 p.m. and persisted until shortly after midnight on Sunday, lasting approximately 25 hours. Monitoring subsequent activity revealed further Strombolian eruptions after the main phase concluded. Initial ash plumes reached altitudes of nearly 50,000 feet in some locations. These high-altitude emissions spread across parts of western Indonesia, prompting aviation authorities to restrict access to the affected airspace.
The Geological Agency maintained Anak Krakatau at Level III and enforced a three-kilometer exclusion zone around the volcano’s summit. Officials recommended that residents in affected areas reduce outdoor activity or wear masks. They also urged coastal communities in Banten and Lampung to rely solely on official sources of information and warned residents against circulating unverified tsunami warnings. Monitoring continued after the eruptive episode, with instruments recording ongoing seismic activity and additional eruptions on the volcanic island.
Passenger numbers exceed 340,000 amid ongoing recovery
As flights gradually resumed on Tuesday, airport operators managed the fallout of the shutdown. At Soekarno-Hatta, 178 grounded aircraft underwent inspections before resuming service. Flight crews were also briefed on updated restrictions regarding airspace and lingering ash hazards. Authorities conducted thorough checks around affected airports to ensure safe operation before restoring regular traffic. This disruption represents one of the most significant operational impacts caused by Anak Krakatau’s activity during its current eruptive phase.
Located in the Sunda Strait, Anak Krakatau emerged from the volcanic system originating from the historic Krakatau eruptions. Activity levels have increased during 2026, with eruptions recorded since July. In December 2018, a major collapse during an eruption triggered a deadly tsunami along nearby coasts. Indonesia features over 100 active volcanoes, situated along tectonic boundaries within the Pacific Ring of Fire, where eruptions and earthquakes are frequent.