Flights to and from Jakarta resumed on Tuesday after a volcanic eruption sent ash across the region and forced the closure of several airports for two days, disrupting nearly 3,000 flights and affecting hundreds of thousands of travellers. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, the two main airports serving Indonesia’s capital, reopened shortly after midnight, Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said. Airports in Bandung and Banten also resumed operations as authorities assessed the impact of volcanic ash on aviation facilities.
The disruption came after heightened volcanic activity at Anak Krakatau, the active volcanic island in Indonesia. The eruption produced lava fountains and loud explosions, prompting authorities to take precautionary measures as ash posed a potential risk to aircraft operations.
Jakarta flights resume after two-day airport shutdown
Along with the two major Jakarta airports, Husein Sastranegara Airport in West Java’s Bandung and two smaller airports in Banten province were reopened just after midnight on Tuesday. However, authorities did not immediately restore operations at every affected airport. Three facilities remained shut until 10 am local time as officials continued to monitor conditions and assess the possibility of volcanic ash reaching aviation zones. Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung, located on the southern tip of Sumatra island, was among the airports that remained closed temporarily. Atung Bungsu Airport in Pagar Alam, South Sumatra, had already returned to normal operations on Monday morning.
Officials adopt cautious approach over ash threat
Authorities said the decision to reopen airports was being taken carefully because wind patterns in the region remained unpredictable. “We are taking a conservative approach because wind direction is highly dynamic,” Purwagandhi said in a statement.
“We want to ensure that volcanic ash has moved away from airports around Anak Krakatau.” Although inspections at several airports did not detect volcanic ash, officials said some facilities would remain closed to allow adequate time for checks and cleaning. Runways, taxiways and aircraft that may have been exposed to ash also required inspection before normal operations could resume.
The precaution is particularly important for aviation because volcanic ash can create serious operational risks for aircraft and airport infrastructure. Authorities therefore opted to keep some airports closed even as conditions began improving.
Nearly 3,000 flights disrupted, 3.41 lakh passengers affected
The two-day airport shutdown on Sunday and Monday caused widespread disruption to air travel across the region. According to authorities, a total of 2,961 flights were affected during the closures. The disruption included 622 international services, while around 341,000 passengers were impacted. The scale of the disruption underlines the effect that volcanic activity can have on air connectivity, particularly when ash clouds threaten airports and flight routes.
Anak Krakatau remains active despite eruption easing
The continuous eruption at Anak Krakatau, which had been accompanied by lava fountains and loud booms, ended on Sunday. However, the volcanic island remained active on Tuesday morning. With volcanic activity continuing, authorities have maintained a cautious approach towards airport operations. The reopening of major airports allows flights to resume, but officials continue to monitor wind direction and volcanic conditions before restoring operations at all affected facilities.ย For passengers travelling through Jakarta and nearby airports, flight schedules may therefore remain subject to changes depending on the latest assessment of volcanic activity and weather conditions.
(With inputs from AP)
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