Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Sep 6
Jakarta Airport Halts 209 Flights After Anak Krakatau Sends Ash to 50,000 Feet
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Sep 6

Jakarta Airport Halts 209 Flights After Anak Krakatau Sends Ash to 50,000 Feet

3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Sep 6

Summary

  • 209 flight movements and about 22,800 passengers were hit Sunday after Soekarno-Hatta suspended operations from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., with cancellations, delays and diversions spreading across domestic and international routes.
  • Anak Krakatau erupted for 30 seconds at 3:53 a.m. Sunday after showing activity since Friday, and satellite tracking identified ash clouds rising to 20,000 feet and 50,000 feet over western Indonesia.
  • 170 aircraft remained parked at the airport as passengers sought refunds and reclaimed baggage; authorities warned of knock-on disruption to aircraft rotations, fleet availability and terminal capacity even as operations restart.
  • No casualties or evacuation orders were reported, but residents and visitors were told to stay at least 3 kilometers from the crater as ash drifted over Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Lampung and nearby waters.
  • Anak Krakatau has stayed at Indonesia's second-highest alert level since the 2018 eruption-triggered tsunami that killed at least 430 people, underscoring the volcano's continuing regional risk.

Insights

With over 22,000 passengers stranded, could the looming shadow of Anak Krakatau permanently disrupt Southeast Asia's busiest aviation hubs?
As volcanic ash grounds hundreds of flights, is the dreaded history of the 2018 deadly tsunami about to repeat itself in Indonesia?