Krakatau eruption: Ministry guarantees full refunds for canceled flights

Passengers caught up in flight cancellations after Mount Anak Krakatau erupted will receive full refunds, Indonesia’s Transportation Ministry said.

“100 percent reimbursement applies,” Director General of Air Transportation Lukman F. Laisa said, as quoted by Antara. The policy covers passengers whose flights were canceled because volcanic ash caused operational disruptions.

Lukman said the refund guarantee protects passengers from financial losses when flights are canceled for safety reasons. Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi also urged airlines to notify travelers promptly, so they would not crowd airport terminals while waiting for information.

Airlines are expected to send cancellation notices to passengers’ registered email addresses or phone numbers. Authorities also want the refund process handled digitally to speed up assistance. The ministry instructed carriers to provide clear information about revised schedules, cancellations and reimbursement procedures.

Several airports temporarily halted operations after volcanic ash spread across the region. The affected facilities included Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung, Soekarno-Hatta Airport and Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Greater Jakarta. The suspensions followed technical forecasts from Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency, known as BMKG, about atmospheric hazards to aviation.