Missed classes, extended holidays: Passengers stranded after Mount Anak Krakatau disruptions
Anak Krakatau has erupted since late on Sept 4, spewing volcanic ash as far as Bandung, 150km south-east of Jakarta.
Indonesian student Zafran Aiman Kamil, 17, was stranded in Jakarta after his flight to Singapore was cancelled due to Mount Anak Krakatau's eruption. The volcano erupted late on September 4, sending volcanic ash as far as Bandung, 150km south-east of Jakarta. The eruption led to the closure of at least five airports across Indonesia on September 6.
Zafran and his family are trying to find alternative travel arrangements, including flying to Batam and taking a ferry to Singapore, though they are hopeful they will resolve the issue.
At Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, thousands of travelers were stuck on September 6, anxiously awaiting updates on their flight statuses. Among them was a 55-year-old Singaporean couple, Megawati and her husband, who had traveled to Indonesia for their 32nd wedding anniversary. Their flight home was rescheduled multiple times, eventually being cancelled. The couple will now extend their stay in Jakarta, where hotel rates have significantly increased due to the stranded passengers.
In Changi Airport, passengers bound for Jakarta faced the same disruptions, with many flights being cancelled as the closure in Jakarta was repeatedly extended. An Indonesian tax consultant, Tommy, 33, was transiting through Singapore after his holiday in Malaysia with his family. Their flight to Jakarta, originally scheduled for 5.20pm, was cancelled. Despite the disruption, Tommy remains positive, joking that this is the most expensive anniversary they've had.
Sandra, a 60-year-old Indonesian counsellor, experienced a similar situation a decade ago when her Scoot flight home was cancelled due to a smaller eruption. She and her family were left stranded in Singapore. Sandra acknowledges that while the current situation is inconvenient, some of her fellow Indonesians are anxious about the situation, as they fear spending an extended period in Singapore due to its high costs and potential impact on their jobs back home.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
