Indonesia Volcano Eruption Disrupts Travel, Cancels 1,558 Flights and Strands 170,000

Indonesia Volcano Eruption Disrupts Air Travel, Shuts 8 Airports and Cancels Over 1,550 Flights

A volcanic eruption in Indonesia has disrupted air travel across the country, with ash clouds reaching up to 50,000 feet and forcing the closure of eight airports, including Jakarta’s two main airports.

The disruption had affected around 170,000 passengers and resulted in more than 1,550 flight cancellations by Monday morning, according to Reuters.

The volcano, Anak Krakatau, is located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. It began showing increased activity on Friday before erupting for around 30 seconds at 3:53 am on Sunday, Indonesia’s Geological Agency said. A second, shorter eruption followed roughly three hours later.

Another eruption was recorded at 8:23 pm on Sunday, according to the volcano monitoring agency.

No deaths or injuries have been reported so far, and authorities have not ordered an evacuation. However, residents and visitors have been instructed to remain at least 3 kilometres away from the crater.

Which Airports Have Been Closed?

Airspace restrictions were imposed around Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta, along with six other airports, including Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung.

The eight airports were initially ordered to remain closed until 8:59 am Monday. However, the operator of Soekarno-Hatta later announced that the airport would remain closed until 6 pm local time.

Flight operations at airports in Bali and Medan were also disrupted.

Indonesia’s Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said the situation remained unpredictable because of changing weather conditions.

“We cannot ascertain when this will end due to the dynamic weather,” he said, according to Reuters.

How High Did the Ash Clouds Rise?

Indonesia’s weather agency BMKG said satellites detected two major ash clouds following the eruptions.

One cloud rose to around 20,000 feet and drifted across Jakarta, Banten and West Java. A second and much larger ash plume reached approximately 50,000 feet, spreading over Banten, Lampung and Bengkulu, the southern Sunda Strait and parts of the Indian Ocean west of Sumatra.

Lana Saria, head of Indonesia’s Geological Agency, said volcanic activity had increased since July, with Sunday’s eruption being the strongest during that period.

She said the activity indicated a continuing supply of magma and gas beneath the volcano. However, officials have not been able to determine whether a larger eruption could occur.

• Authorities have warned that additional eruptions remain possible.
• Passengers Stranded, Schools Shift Online

The disruption has left thousands of passengers waiting for information about cancelled and rescheduled flights.

Spanish tourist Diego Urdiales, who was due to return to Madrid, said he was still waiting for his airline to provide details about a new flight.

Another passenger, Michele Gouw, said travellers had little choice but to accept the disruption caused by the natural disaster.

“It’s a natural disaster, it’s a force majeure,” she said, according to the Associated Press.

The volcanic ash has also affected schools. Authorities in parts of Jakarta and Lampung have shifted classes online to limit children’s exposure to ash, state news agency Antara reported.

Indonesia’s disaster management agency has advised people to wear masks when going outdoors.

Airlines Cancel Flights and Warn of More Disruptions

Singapore Airlines said it had cancelled 10 flights between Singapore and Jakarta scheduled for September 6 and 7 because of the volcanic eruption.

The airline warned that additional flights could also be affected as conditions remained fluid.

Passengers who booked directly through Singapore Airlines can use its online service to request rebooking or refunds. Travellers who booked through travel agents or other airlines have been advised to contact those providers directly.

The airline apologised to passengers affected by the disruption and said it was continuing to monitor the situation.

Meanwhile, unverified reports on social media claimed that more than 200 flights had been diverted from Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta airport following the eruption. The reports also shared footage attributed to the World Meteorological Organization showing smoke from Indonesian forest fires drifting towards Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.

The name Anak Krakatau means “child of Krakatau”. The volcano emerged from the remains of the much larger Krakatau volcano, whose catastrophic 1883 eruption triggered a series of tsunamis that killed more than 36,000 people. The eruption also had a significant impact on the global climate, with temperatures falling for several years afterwards.

Anak Krakatau itself made headlines in 2018 when an eruption triggered an underwater landslide, causing part of the volcanic island to collapse. The resulting tsunami struck coastal areas of Sumatra and Java, killing at least 430 people. Scientists later estimated that the island had lost around three-quarters of its size following the collapse.

Indonesia is located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, a highly active geological zone where tectonic activity frequently causes earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The country is home to numerous active volcanoes and regularly experiences seismic activity.