Powerful volcanic eruption disrupts Indonesian air travel and grounds thousands of flights

A powerful volcanic eruption has thrown Indonesia’s air travel into disarray, forcing authorities to suspend flights at Jakarta’s main airport and seven others as ash spread across the skies.

More than 170,000 passengers were affected, while about 1,558 flights were disrupted across the airports concerned. More than 900 of those flights were linked to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, including international services to Doha, Sydney and Kuala Lumpur.

The measures followed a sharp increase in volcanic activity over two days. Authorities recorded an eruption on Saturday, followed by further eruptions on Sunday. Lava was thrown from the volcano, and powerful sounds could be heard from far away as ash was detected in the air around the capital.

The disruption also reached airports including Husein Sastranegara and Raden Inten II. To keep part of the air traffic moving, authorities prepared alternative airports in other cities, including Semarang and Surabaya, to receive incoming flights.