Indonesians Turn to Buses and Trains as Anak Krakatau Ash Grounds Flights

Thousands of passengers abandoned flights and turned to buses and trains after ash from Mount Anak Krakatau disrupted air travel across Indonesia. More than 400 flights, mostly domestic, were halted, affecting about 150,000 passengers.

AirNav Indonesia said up to seven airports had closed. Four, including Jakarta’s main gateway, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, were to remain shut until 6 p.m. local time on Sept. 7. The closures began on Sept. 6 and also included Radin Inten II airport in Lampung, on southern Sumatra.

Passengers on cancelled international flights remained stranded in departure cities, while others joined long queues to seek refunds or rescheduling. Domestic travelers boarded buses and trains instead. Airport operators offered free bus rides, and state-owned rail operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia increased capacity.

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I was supposed to do an operation on Tuesday, but I had to move it to Wednesday because of the delay.

“I was supposed to do an operation on Tuesday, but I had to move it to Wednesday because of the delay,” said Johannes Aritonang, a 39-year-old urologist from Jakarta who was stranded in Manila after his Philippine Airlines flight was cancelled on Sept. 5. After failing to find seats through Hong Kong or Singapore, he and two fellow doctors booked flights through Kuala Lumpur and Surabaya and planned to complete the journey to Jakarta by train.

“The lesson for me is that you really need to have emergency funds ready because you never know when you’ll suddenly need to spend more,” he said. Some Jakarta-bound flights, including two Garuda Indonesia aircraft carrying returning Muslim pilgrims, were diverted to Kertajati airport, about 180 kilometers from Jakarta. The passengers then relied on buses and trains. Seven airports across Java, Bali and Sumatra were designated as alternatives.

Singapore Airlines said on X that its entire schedule into Jakarta for Sept. 7 and the early hours of Sept. 8 had been cancelled. Anak Krakatau, in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, has been active since early July, with eruptions intensifying on the night of Sept. 4. At 11 a.m. local time, volcanic ash remained over Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Lampung, Bengkulu and South Sumatra. Thin layers of dust covered parked vehicles and household floors on Sept. 6.

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The lesson for me is that you really need to have emergency funds ready because you never know when you’ll suddenly need to spend more.