Jakarta Air Access Severely Disrupted by Anak Krakatau Ash Cloud
A major eruption from Mount Anak Krakatau, the active volcano sitting in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, has forced Indonesian authorities to close five airports in and around Jakarta and prompted dozens of flight cancellations across the region. The disruption, first reported by The Star on September 7, 2026, is ongoing and the situation remains fluid.
Which Airports Are Closed
Indonesia's Civil Aviation director-general Lukman F. Laisa confirmed the closures during an online press conference. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta's main international gateway, is affected along with four additional facilities: Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta, Raden Inten II Airport in Lampung, Budiarto Airport in Curug, and Pondok Cabe Airfield. Authorities are coordinating with AirNav Indonesia and the national Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency to track the movement of the ash cloud.
Scale of Flight Cancellations
The cancellations span multiple carriers. Malaysia Airlines pulled 12 Jakarta flights and advised passengers to verify their contact details through the airline's booking portal to receive real-time updates by email and SMS. Batik Air cancelled eight Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta services, citing precautionary coordination with aviation authorities; the affected flight numbers include OD398, OD399, OD346, OD347, OD388, OD389, OD390, and OD391. Singapore Airlines cancelled 19 flights, including two that had already been rescheduled once, and noted that further cancellations were possible. Singapore Airlines' budget carrier Scoot added another 12 cancellations.
The Volcanic Situation on the Ground
Anak Krakatau has been at Level III alert, the second-highest tier in Indonesia's four-level system, since July 2. A 3-kilometer exclusion zone remains in place around the volcano. Satellite analysis conducted at 8 a.m. on September 7 identified two separate ash clusters covering Banten, Jakarta, and West Java, with the plume extending as far as Bengkulu. Aviation warnings placed ash at up to 6,096 meters moving eastward and up to 15,240 meters moving westward. The agency's director of earthquakes and tsunamis, Dr. Wilya Yanto, noted that continuous eruptive activity including repeated lava ejections was still being observed, though at a reduced frequency.
What Travelers Should Do Now
Anyone with upcoming travel to or from Jakarta should contact their carrier directly and check for updates frequently. Airlines have emphasized that the situation is still evolving and additional flights may be affected. Travelers should ensure their booking contact details are current so carriers can reach them quickly. Travel insurance policies that cover natural disaster disruptions are worth reviewing at this stage.
Why It Matters for Hosts
Independent accommodation operators in Jakarta and surrounding areas should expect a wave of cancellations and rebooking requests in the coming days. Proactively reaching out to incoming guests with flexible rescheduling options, clear communication about your cancellation policy, and local transport or airport status updates will build trust and reduce chargebacks. Guests stranded mid-journey may also need last-minute extensions, so keeping a few rooms unblocked while the ash situation is monitored is a practical short-term measure. Staying in contact with your local tourism board for official guidance on when normal operations are expected to resume will help you give guests accurate information.
Details in this post were first reported by The Star.
First reported by thestar.com.my.