JAKARTA, Sept 6 — Indonesia temporarily halted operations at its main international airport early today after volcanic ash from an eruption of Anak Krakatau spread into nearby airspace, disrupting dozens of flights.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was closed from 1.30am until 5.30am Western Indonesian Time under a Notice to Airmen issued over concerns that ash could endanger aircraft, Astro Awani reported.
Thirty-three flights were affected by the disruption, including 16 international services that were cancelled.
Lukman F. Laisa, director-general of civil aviation at Indonesia’s transport ministry, said authorities were closely tracking the eruption and its impact on air traffic.
“We continue to monitor and coordinate intensively with airline operators, airport management, air navigation service providers and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) over the impact of Mount Anak Krakatau’s eruptive activity on flight operations, particularly at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport,” he said in a statement.
The shutdown was imposed as a precaution because volcanic ash poses a significant hazard to aviation. Fine ash particles can damage aircraft engines and other systems, while heavy concentrations can also impair visibility during take-off and landing.
Anak Krakatau lies in the Sunda Strait between the Indonesian provinces of Banten and Lampung and has experienced repeated bouts of heightened volcanic activity in recent years.
The volcano emerged from the caldera left by the catastrophic 1883 eruption of Krakatau and remains closely monitored because of its continuing activity and its location between the heavily populated islands of Java and Sumatra.
Previous eruptions have also disrupted aviation in western Java, including operations at Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma airports.
Indonesian authorities were continuing to track the direction and concentration of the ash cloud to assess whether airspace remained safe for flights.
Airlines have advised passengers travelling through Jakarta to check the latest status of their flights as conditions remain subject to change.
Date: 6 September, 2026 9:30 am
Source: Malay Mail
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