Minister says Prabowo is monitoring Anak Krakatau’s impact on flight operations

President Prabowo Subianto is seeking near-constant updates on flight conditions as volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau disrupts air travel, Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said.

“He is concerned; he asks for updates on our flight conditions almost constantly,” Dudy said in Jakarta. The minister said Prabowo had instructed authorities to anticipate developments because volcanic ash and weather conditions can change quickly.

The eruption led the government to close eight airports and extend their temporary shutdown until midnight local time. The closures affected 1,558 departures and arrivals. The airports include Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma in the Jakarta area, Radin Inten II in Lampung, Husein Sastranegara in Bandung, Budiarto in Curug, Pondok Cabe in South Tangerang, Taufik Kiemas in West Pesisir and Atung Bungsu in Pagar Alam.

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He is concerned; he asks for updates on our flight conditions almost constantly.

Dudy personally monitored the situation from the command center at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten. Multiple screens displayed real-time information on ash dispersion and its effects on flight activity at airports across the affected areas.

The latest monitoring showed that the ash plume had shifted. Winds were carrying the ash eastward at five knots and an altitude of 15,000 feet. The Transportation Ministry is conducting regular assessments with Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency, AirNav, airport operators and other relevant bodies.

“The President’s instruction is clear: we must anticipate everything,” Dudy said. Prabowo has urged people in Jakarta, Banten, Lampung and areas around the Sunda Strait to remain calm, follow government and field personnel instructions, and avoid approaching Mount Anak Krakatau.

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The President’s instruction is clear: we must anticipate everything.