Jakarta airport extends closure

JAKARTA

Passengers wait at a terminal in the airport on September 6, 2026. (AFP Photo)

Indonesia’s main airport and three others postponed reopening on Sept. 7 after halting operations following a volcanic eruption that left hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded.

Mount Anak Krakatau, about 150 kilometers from Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, erupted on Sept. 5, spewing a fountain of lava and a plume of volcanic ash.

Eight airports halted operations over the weekend after ash was detected in their airspace, disrupting thousands of flights and leaving more than 270,000 passengers stranded, the transport ministry reported on Sept. 7.

“These figures are the cumulative operational impact since 5 September 2026 and cover flights that have been canceled, delayed, or diverted,” the ministry said in a statement.

Italian tourist Michel Miegge was on holiday with his girlfriend and due to fly home in time for work on Sept. 8, but their flight was canceled.

“We don’t have any news from the airline. We don’t know if we stay another day in Jakarta or find another flight,” the 32-year-old software engineer told AFP.