Anak Krakatau ash cloud temporarily shuts Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta airport, disrupting 33 flights

Jakarta's main international airport, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, was forced to shut down early on September 6 due to volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau's eruption, disrupting 33 flights. The airport closed operations from 1:30 am to 5:30 am Western Indonesian Time under a Notice to Airmen, as ash could potentially endanger aircraft safety.

Thirty-three flights were affected, including 16 international services that were cancelled. Lukman F. Laisa, the director-general of civil aviation at Indonesia’s transport ministry, stressed the importance of monitoring the eruption and its effect on air traffic, and coordinating with relevant parties such as airline operators, airport management, air navigation service providers, and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

The Indonesian volcano lies in the Sunda Strait between Banten and Lampung provinces and has shown increased volcanic activity in recent years. Because of its location between Java and Sumatra, Anak Krakatau remains closely monitored due to its continuing activity and proximity to densely populated islands. Authorities were tracking the ash cloud's direction and concentration to ensure airspace safety for flights.

Airlines advised passengers traveling through Jakarta to check the status of their flights as conditions remained subject to change.