Five airports have resumed operations after volcanic ash disrupted air travel across Indonesia, with authorities warning that further eruptions could cause fresh disruptions.
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia has reopened five airports after volcanic ash from the erupting Anak Krakatau disrupted nearly 3,000 flights and affected about 341,000 passengers.
The reopening came early Tuesday after authorities determined that conditions had improved enough to allow air operations to resume, easing a major travel disruption that had affected domestic and international flights since the weekend.
Jakarta’s main gateway, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, resumed operations at about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, alongside four other airports in and around Java.
The disruption followed renewed activity at Anak Krakatau, which began erupting late last week, sending volcanic ash into airspace serving parts of western Indonesia.
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Indonesian authorities said the ash had forced several airports to suspend operations as aviation safety became a major concern.
Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said the reopening followed assessments by aviation and meteorological authorities, with safety remaining the main consideration in determining whether flights could resume.
Despite the reopening, airlines now face the challenge of clearing a huge backlog of passengers whose flights were cancelled, delayed or diverted during the closures.
Official figures showed that 2,961 domestic and international flights had been affected by Monday, involving approximately 341,000 passengers. The disruptions included cancellations, delays and diversions.
The airport closures created long queues at Soekarno-Hatta as stranded travellers sought information about their flights, refunds and alternative means of reaching their destinations.
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Some passengers resorted to lengthy journeys by road and rail after repeated changes to their flight schedules.
The disruption also affected international visitors who had planned to leave Indonesia after holidays or business trips.
Authorities have continued to monitor the volcano and the movement of ash clouds because volcanic ash can pose a serious risk to aircraft engines and aviation operations.
Indonesia’s geological authorities have maintained Anak Krakatau at Alert Level III, the second-highest level in the country’s four-tier volcanic warning system. The volcano is located in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra.
The volcano also recorded further eruptions early Tuesday, underscoring the continuing uncertainty facing aviation authorities.
Indonesia’s Transport Ministry said the situation would continue to be assessed based on volcanic activity, weather conditions and the movement of ash.
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Authorities have urged passengers to check directly with their airlines for the latest flight information before travelling to affected airports.
The Indonesian government has also warned that although operations have resumed at several airports, further volcanic activity could lead to additional changes in flight schedules.
The reopening is therefore expected to ease the immediate pressure on thousands of stranded travellers, but airlines and airport authorities remain on alert as Anak Krakatau continues to erupt.
Indonesia sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire and is home to numerous active volcanoes, making volcanic ash monitoring an important part of the country’s aviation safety procedures.