Anak Krakatau eruption closes seven Indonesian airports, disrupting 341,000 passengers

September 8, 2026 at 06:09 PM2 min

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Seven airports in Indonesia closed temporarily due to volcanic ash from the Anak Krakatau eruption. Around 341,000 passengers were affected by flight cancellations, delays, and diversions. Jakarta's main airport Soekarno-Hatta and six others are to remain closed until 23:59 Monday local time.

Key Facts

Seven airports in Indonesia closed temporarily due to volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau.
Around 341,000 passengers were affected by flight cancellations, delays, and diversions.
Restrictions affected 2,961 flights, according to Infrastructure Minister Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono.
Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport and six others are to remain closed until 23:59 Monday local time.
Ash plumes reached 6,000 meters on the Java side and 15,000 meters on the Sumatra side, according to meteorology agency BMKG.

Airport Closures

Seven airports in Indonesia closed temporarily due to volcanic ash from the Anak Krakatau eruption. Jakarta's main airport Soekarno-Hatta, located in Tangerang, and six other airports are to remain closed until 23:59 Monday local time. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandi said airports need additional time to clean runways, taxiways, and aprons. Airlines also need to prepare aircraft for further operations, he added.

Passenger Impact

Around 341,000 passengers were affected by flight cancellations, delays, and diversions. Restrictions affected 2,961 flights, according to Infrastructure Minister Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono. Passengers at Soekarno-Hatta airport tried to get flight information from departure boards, with some forced to spend time in the terminal. 24-year-old Carlos Zabala, returning to Spain after a vacation, said his flight was rescheduled several times.

Volcanic Activity

The latest eruption of Anak Krakatau occurred on Sunday evening, August 6. On Monday, the volcano monitoring agency warned that the probability of new eruptions in the near future remains high. Ash plumes reached 6,000 meters on the Java side and 15,000 meters on the Sumatra side, according to meteorology agency BMKG. Ash also spread to some areas of Banten province on Java.