Indonesia Prepares 10 Airports for Round-the-Clock Operations as Anak Krakatau Ash Disrupts Flights

Indonesia is preparing 10 airports to operate around the clock as authorities work to restore flight schedules disrupted by ash from the Mount Anak Krakatau eruption.

Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi announced the preparations during a virtual meeting with President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on September 7. The airports will accommodate diverted flights and help accelerate the recovery of disrupted schedules. Five of them are Kertajati International Airport in West Java, Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, Jenderal Ahmad Yani International Airport in Semarang, Adi Soemarmo International Airport in Surakarta and New Yogyakarta International Airport.

The five airports will serve as alternatives for seven affected airports. Purwagandhi said that as of 12:10 p.m. Western Indonesia Time on Monday, volcanic ash had reached about 15,000 feet and was moving southwest at 10 knots. A Volcanic Ash Advisory Center forecast indicated that the ash spread could continue until about 6:10 a.m. on Tuesday. The minister said authorities must confirm the ash’s movement before reopening airports because changing winds could carry it back toward airport grounds.

Juanda Airport will raise its capacity as Singapore Airlines changes from a Boeing 737-800 to a wide-body Airbus A350. The move is intended to carry more passengers affected by the disruptions. The government has also added four domestic flights from Denpasar, Batam, Makassar and Pekanbaru, while Ahmad Yani Airport will handle additional services from Makassar, Denpasar, Labuan Bajo and Lombok.

Saudia Airlines will operate through New Yogyakarta International Airport. Kertajati has begun handling Garuda Indonesia international flights to and from Jeddah, Medina and Amsterdam, and Lion Air is scheduled to fly from Kertajati to Jeddah.

Purwaghandi said passengers affected by cancellations are entitled to their full rights under regulations, including a 100 percent refund. Foreign nationals who overstay their visas because of cancellations will receive immigration leniency. InJourney Airports and other stakeholders have arranged free shuttle buses and train services to transfer passengers to alternative airports.

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We have also prepared 10 airports operating around the clock to accommodate flight diversions and accelerate schedule recovery.