Anak Krakatau eruption grounds 301 flights at Jakarta airport
An explosive eruption at Mount Anak Krakatau sent ash plumes up to 50,000 feet into the atmosphere, forcing the suspension of flight operations at Indonesia's primary international aviation hub.
Air travel across Southeast Asia suffered severe disruption on Sunday, 6 September 2026, after an intense volcanic eruption sent towering ash plumes high into the atmosphere and forced the total suspension of flight operations at Indonesia's primary international aviation hub, according to reporting by ANI. The sudden eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau triggered cascading cancellations, delays, and schedule adjustments across regional carriers, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded at terminals as safety authorities moved to protect aircraft from abrasive volcanic particulate matter.
The explosive activity at the volcanic island in the Sunda Strait — situated between the main islands of Java and Sumatra — began to show signs of activity before erupting briefly at 3:53 AM local time on Sunday, according to Indonesia's Geological Agency cited by The Sydney Morning Herald. Republic World reported that the volcano erupted for 30 seconds, while The Guardian noted that Saturday's activity produced lava and booming sounds that could be heard up to 700 kilometres away.
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According to airport operator Angkasa Pura, the shutdown impacted 301 flights, including 58 international services, at the country's busiest aviation facility. The transportation ministry noted that more than 22,000 passengers and 209 flights were directly affected, with international routes linking Jakarta to Singapore, Sydney, Doha, Kuala Lumpur, and other hubs facing severe disruptions. National carrier Singapore Airlines cancelled all flights to and from Jakarta for the remainder of Sunday, while Australian carrier Qantas confirmed cancellations on its services connecting Sydney and Melbourne with Jakarta.
| Metric / Detail | Reported Figure / Status |
|---|---|
| Total Affected Flights | 301 flights |
| International Cancellations | 58 flights |
| Affected Passengers | More than 22,000 |
| Ash Plume Heights | 20,000 feet (Java side) to 50,000 feet (Sumatra side) |
| Airport Shutdown Extent | 5 airports halted operations |
Civil Aviation Director General Lukman F. Laisa affirmed that stringent safety protocols dictated the closure, noting that airborne volcanic glass and particulate matter pose catastrophic risks to aircraft jet engines, turbine blades, fuel systems, and cockpit visibility. Safety remains the top priority in every operational decision
, Lukman stated via ANI, warning that cascading schedule adjustments would affect aircraft rotations, fleet availability, and terminal capacity as airlines work to restore normal operations.
Satellite imagery analyzed by Indonesia's volcanology agency and the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Australia tracked two distinct ash plumes drifting from the volcano. One cloud reached an altitude of 20,000 feet (6,100 metres) while moving northeast over Jakarta, Banten, and West Java. A second, massive cloud surged up to 50,000 feet (15,200 metres), drifting westward and northwestward to cover parts of Banten, Lampung, and Bengkulu provinces, as well as the southern Sunda Strait and sections of the Indian Ocean west of Sumatra.
Local authorities and disaster mitigation teams responded rapidly to assist stranded travellers and mitigate environmental hazards. Airport operators distributed food, light refreshments, and arranged bus transport to nearby hotels for affected passengers, who sought refunds and reclaimed checked baggage as departure boards displayed a growing list of cancelled flights. Meanwhile, the disaster mitigation agency BNPB announced plans to execute weather modification operations, including cloud-seeding, to stimulate heavy rainfall capable of washing away lingering volcanic ash.
Port authorities restricted shipping traffic, prohibiting vessels from approaching within a three-kilometre radius of the active crater. While no casualties were reported and no immediate evacuation orders were issued, given that the nearest settlement lies more than 16 kilometres away, scientists and regional disaster agencies maintain heightened vigilance. Anak Krakatau emerged in the 1920s from the submerged caldera created by the catastrophic 1883 Krakatoa eruption, and its volatile history includes a 2018 flank collapse that generated a fatal tsunami across the surrounding coastal regions.
As aviation authorities monitor the fluid movement of drifting ash clouds across regional flight corridors, travellers have been strongly advised to verify flight statuses through official digital portals before departing for terminals. Further updates regarding airspace reopenings and rescheduled services are expected as meteorological conditions evolve.
