Stranded by volcanic ash, Malaysians in Jakarta find free beds and open arms

JAKARTA, Sept 7 — When Anak Krakatau’s ash grounded flights across the region, seven stranded Malaysians found themselves with nowhere to go and dwindling patience.

A stranger’s spare bedroom changed that.

Maira Safiraa, an Indonesian who currently lives in Malaysia, opened up her Jakarta house to the group after watching the flight chaos unfold from afar.

“I thought to myself, what if I or my family were in the same situation in a foreign country?” she said in a post on Threads.

That question was enough for her to offer up her home, located about 30 minutes from the airport,

Three of her four bedrooms filled up quickly, and she says the last one is still open, with priority given to women travelling alone.

There is no catch and no bill waiting at the end of the stay.

“The accommodation is free… I am not asking for any payment,” she said.

Anak Krakatau has been erupting continuously since Friday, blanketing the region in ash and forcing six airports to shut their runways.

The fallout has rippled well beyond Indonesia, disrupting flights to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul, Doha and Amsterdam.

Maira said the timing worked out — her house happened to be empty apart from her personal assistant, who now has company instead of an empty house to sit in alone.

“I’m actually happy that my home in Jakarta has become livelier with more people around,” she said.

Airport authorities have told her the disruptions are expected to persist until at least 12.30pm tomorrow, longer still if the volcano refuses to settle.

Her goodwill has limits she cannot help — she said she feels for Indonesians stuck in Malaysia in the same predicament, but has no space to return the favour, with her own household already full with her husband, baby and helper.

For now, her open door is one less thing seven Malaysians have to worry about while they wait out the ash.