Soekarno-Hatta Airport suspended flights after ash from Anak Krakatau reached nearby airspace.
Why it matters: Indonesia's busiest airport halted operations, forcing cancellations and delays at a critical hub for domestic and international travel.
- Soekarno-Hatta Airport suspended operations on Sept. 6 after ash from Anak Krakatau was detected.
- Indonesia's civil aviation directorate said a paper test between 00:35 and 01:05 WIB showed volcanic ash at the airport.
- AirNav Indonesia extended the closure in a NOTAM until about 09:30 WIB.
- Indonesia's transportation ministry said at least 33 flights were affected, including 16 international cancellations and seven delays.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport near Jakarta halted flights on Sept. 6 after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau reached the airport area.
Indonesia's Directorate General of Civil Aviation said a paper test conducted between 00:35 and 01:05 WIB showed positive indications of volcanic ash at the airport. Director General Lukman F. Laisa said, "Safety remains the top priority in every operational decision." ANTARA reported the temporary closure.
AirNav Indonesia then extended the suspension in a NOTAM until around 09:30 WIB, MetroTV reported.
BMKG said satellite analysis at 08:00 WIB found ash clusters over Banten, DKI Jakarta, West Java and Bengkulu. It also said there was no tsunami anomaly in monitoring around the Sunda Strait as of the morning of Sept. 6. BMKG
The transportation ministry said at least 33 flights were affected, including 16 international cancellations and seven delays, according to Reuters' report on the ministry's figures. Reuters said the disruption hit Indonesia's main aviation hub.
By the numbers
- 33 - flights affected at Soekarno-Hatta, according to Indonesia's transportation ministry
- 16 - international cancellations reported by the ministry
- 7 - flight delays reported by the ministry