Flights to and from Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, have resumed following a two-day closure due to volcanic ash from an eruption, impacting nearly 3,000 flights. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta, Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung, and two smaller airports in Banten province reopened after midnight, according to Indonesia’s Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi.
While some airports, like Atung Bungsu Airport in South Sumatra, had returned to normal operations, others, including Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung, remained closed until 10 a.m. local time due to fluctuating wind directions. Purwagandhi emphasized the importance of ensuring that volcanic ash had dissipated from airports around Anak Krakatau before resuming operations.
Despite tests showing no volcanic ash traces at some airports, the extended closures allowed for thorough inspection and cleaning of runways, taxiways, and aircraft exposed to volcanic ash. The eruption at Anak Krakatau, characterized by lava fountains and loud sounds, ceased on Sunday but the volcanic island remained active on Tuesday morning.
The airport closures impacted a total of 2,961 flights, including 622 international services, affecting approximately 341,000 passengers.
