Indonesia closes eight airports after eruption strands 80,000

Eight airports in Indonesia suspended operations Sunday after the erupting Anak Krakatoa volcano spewed clouds of ash across the skies of the archipelago. The main international hub, Soekarno‑Hatta in Jakarta, was closed along with Surabaya, Medan, Bali, Makassar, Bandung, Denpasar and Jayapura. The ash plume drifted over the Sunda Strait, reaching the eastern coast and threatening aircraft engines and passenger health. Flights were grounded, passengers were stranded, and airlines diverted routes to nearby airports.

The shutdown matters because Indonesia relies on air travel for daily life and its tourism economy. Jakarta alone handles more than 30 million passengers a year, and a sudden closure can ripple across the network. Ash particles can damage jet engines, causing costly repairs or shutdowns. The government has a history of dealing with volcanic threats, most notably the 2018 eruption that killed 400 people in a tsunami. This time, authorities are cautious but confident that the ash alone is the main hazard.

Geologists from the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) say the current series of eruptions does not pose a tsunami risk. They are monitoring plume height, ash concentration and wind direction. The Airports Authority (BPAA) has issued a blanket flight ban until ash levels fall below 50 meters. Over 1,200 domestic flights were cancelled, and more than 80,000 passengers were affected. Airlines are rerouting traffic to secondary airports like Halim in Jakarta, Ngurah Rai in Bali, and Kertajaya in Surabaya. The BMKG is also coordinating with emergency services to keep the public safe.

What happens next is a close watch on the volcano’s activity. If ash clouds clear, the BPAA will lift the ban in stages, starting with smaller regional airports. The Ministry of Transportation will work with airlines to