Soekarno-Hatta Airport temporarily closes because of Mount Anak Krakatau volcanic ash

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport temporarily closed early on September 6 after volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau spread to the airport.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said the closure ran from 1:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. Western Indonesian Time under NOTAM A3341/26. Director General Lukman F. Laisa said paper tests conducted shortly before the closure showed indications of volcanic ash at the airport.

Monitoring data as of 10 p.m. on September 5 showed that 33 flights had been affected. International services recorded 16 cancellations, seven delays and five reschedulings, involving routes to and from Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul and Incheon, Doha, Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur.

Domestic operations included four cancellations and one diversion. The affected routes included flights to and from Lampung, along with services to Denpasar and Surabaya. Officials said they were also watching for knock-on effects involving aircraft rotations, fleet availability, later schedules and terminal capacity.

“Safety remains the top priority in every operational decision, including flight schedule adjustments made by airlines,” Lukman said. Authorities said they would continue coordinating with airlines, airport operators, air navigation services and BMKG. Passengers were advised to check their flight status with airlines and allow for possible schedule changes.

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Safety remains the top priority in every operational decision, including flight schedule adjustments made by airlines.