- Mount Anak Krakatau erupted violently late on Friday, disrupting nearly 3,000 flights
- More than 340,000 passengers have been stranded across Indonesia
- Five of eight suspended airports reopened past midnight on Tuesday
- Schools in several provinces have shifted to online classes due to air quality concerns
- Anak Krakatau remains at Alert Level III with further eruptions possible
Mount Anak Krakatau in Indonesia has closed multiple airports and disrupted hundreds of flights, leaving more than 340,000 passengers stranded since the eruption began late on Friday. Jakarta’s main Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and several others extended closures into Monday amid ash clouds, with operations finally resuming early Tuesday. The volcano, located in the Sunda Strait, has sent a massive plume of volcanic ash into the airspace over Java and Sumatra, causing widespread travel chaos across the region.
Indonesia reopened five of the eight suspended airports past midnight on Tuesday after a grueling two-day operational shutdown, with Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport resuming operations early Tuesday. Huge crowds and long queues remain at terminals as passengers attempt to reschedule flights or claim refunds. Major international carriers including Singapore Airlines, AirAsia and Virgin Australia have heavily disrupted or cancelled schedules, with grounded travelers advised to check flight statuses directly with their airlines before heading to any terminals.
The eruption’s footprint extends far beyond aviation, with several schools in Jakarta, Banten, West Java and Lampung shifting to online classes due to poor air quality caused by volcanic ash. Local water transport, freight services and fishing trips have also halted across parts of western Indonesia due to heavy ashfall and low visibility. Separate volcanic activity at Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in East Nusa Tenggara has triggered independent flight cancellations impacting routes to and from Bali. Indonesia’s Geological Agency has kept Anak Krakatau at Alert Level III, the second-highest level, with disaster management officials warning that further eruptions and ash emissions remain possible in the coming days.
