Flights resume gradually in Indonesia after volcanic eruption

JAKARTA

A stranded passenger looks at a flight information screen amid the closure of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport due to the eruption of the Mount Anak Krakatau volcano, in Tangerang on September 7, 2026. (AFP Photo)

Major airports in Indonesia reopened on Sept. 8 days after a volcanic eruption had grounded flights, with authorities saying normal operations would resume gradually.

The disruption, caused by the eruption of Anak Krakatau, halted nearly 3,000 flights and stranded more than 340,000 passengers.

Five airports including the country’s main hub serving the capital Jakarta reopened after authorities cleared volcanic ash from critical infrastructure.

Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi told reporters it may take “a bit” longer for flight schedules to return to normal.

“We will be operating these aircraft, but before we do so, we want to ensure their airworthiness. So, it may take a bit of extra time,” he said of the nearly 180 jets currently at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

“We ask for a little patience from passengers and the public, as we will be carrying out inspections to ensure that these aircraft are fit to fly.”

Airport operator Angkasa Pura Indonesia said in a statement that volcanic ash had been cleared from the runway and other areas to ensure the facilities were safe for flights.

The volcano erupted at least three times on Sept. 8 morning alone, according to the head of the national Geology Agency, Lana Saria.

Anak Krakatau, meaning Child of Krakatau, has been sporadically active since it emerged from the sea nearly a century ago in the caldera formed after the 1883 eruption of Mount Krakatau.

A 2018 tsunami triggered by the collapse of parts of Anak Krakatau killed more than 400 people and displaced thousands.