Anak Krakatau Grounds Hundreds of Flights at Jakarta's Main Gateway
A fresh eruption of Anak Krakatau, the active volcano sitting in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, sent an ash plume high over Sumatra in early September 2026 and pushed that ash toward Java's airspace. Indonesian authorities responded by temporarily suspending operations at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the country's busiest hub, and at Lampung's Radin Inten II airport. According to reporting by Curly Tales, the disruption touched 301 flights in total, 58 of them international services, and left around 22,800 passengers rerouting or waiting.
Which Airlines Were Affected
Long-haul carriers operating the Gulf corridor bore a significant share of the impact. Emirates confirmed cancellations and delays on its Dubai-Jakarta route across September 5 and 6. Specifically, flight EK356 from Dubai to Jakarta on September 6 was cancelled outright, while EK359 from Jakarta to Dubai on September 5 and EK358 from Dubai to Jakarta on September 6 were delayed. The airline urged passengers to check their flight status before traveling to the airport and cited crew and passenger safety as the reason for the decisions.
Etihad Airways reported delays on multiple Abu Dhabi-Jakarta services. Flight EY472 from Zayed International Airport to Jakarta on September 6 was delayed because of the closure, which then pushed back the return leg, EY473 from Jakarta to Abu Dhabi on September 7. Two additional services on the same route, EY474 and EY475, were also affected. Etihad said its teams were working to assist impacted travelers.
Some Air Arabia Abu Dhabi flights on unrelated routes, including services to Kathmandu, Tashkent, and Tbilisi, were also delayed on the same day, though the airline indicated those disruptions were separate from the Jakarta ash event.
What Travelers Should Do
Anyone with upcoming travel to or from Jakarta, or connecting through Dubai or Abu Dhabi, should take a few practical steps before heading to the airport. Check your flight status directly with your carrier, because schedules can shift quickly during volcanic events. Make sure your contact details are current in the airline's booking system so you receive automated alerts. If you are connecting through a Gulf hub on the way to or from Indonesia, build extra buffer time into your itinerary, since knock-on delays can ripple across multiple legs.
Anak Krakatau is one of Indonesia's most closely monitored volcanoes, and eruptions are not uncommon. Travelers visiting the region should keep an eye on advisories from Indonesian authorities and their airline throughout their trip.
Why It Matters for Hosts
Independent hotels, guesthouses, and villa operators near Jakarta or in destinations served by Soekarno-Hatta should have a clear, simple protocol for flight disruption scenarios. When a volcanic event grounds hundreds of inbound flights, guests may arrive a day late, cancel at short notice, or need urgent rebooking assistance. Reviewing your cancellation and force-majeure policies now, before the next eruption cycle, will save difficult conversations later. It is also worth keeping a short-list of reliable local transport contacts so stranded guests can be redirected smoothly. Communicating proactively with guests who have upcoming bookings during an active volcanic period builds trust and reduces no-shows.
Details in this post were first reported by Curly Tales (curlytales.com), with the original article by Deeplata Garde published on September 7, 2026. This post is published by the Qontaktly travel blog.
First reported by curlytales.com.