Two Garuda Indonesia Flights Diverted to Kertajati Airport

Two Garuda Indonesia flights from Saudi Arabia were redirected to West Java after volcanic ash from the Anak Krakatau eruption forced several airports to close temporarily.

Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said the flights from Jeddah and Medina, which had been scheduled to land at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, would instead land at Kertajati International Airport in Majalengka. He said the flights were expected to arrive about an hour after his briefing.

Soekarno-Hatta was among the airports affected by the ash and was temporarily shut because of the risk to flight operations. The ministry also closed Radin Inten Airport in Lampung, Halim Perdanakusuma in Jakarta, Pondok Cabe and Budiarto Curug in Tangerang. Further testing at noon found that Bandung’s Husein Sastranegara Airport had also been affected, bringing the total to six closed airports.

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There are two Garuda flights from Jeddah and Medina that we have diverted to land at Kertajati Airport.

Kertajati remained available for flights after a paper test found no volcanic ash at the airport. “So far, based on the paper test conducted at Kertajati Airport, Kertajati has not been affected and is still possible,” Dudy said. He nevertheless urged airlines to remain alert to changing weather if the ash spread toward the airport.

The ministry said it was also offering unaffected alternative airports to other airlines to help maintain services during the disruption.

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So far, based on the paper test conducted at Kertajati Airport, Kertajati has not been affected and is still possible.