Jakarta Airports Reopen After Two‑Day Volcanic Ash Shutdown

Early on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, the hum of jet engines once again filled the air over Jakarta as the city’s main airports threw open their doors after a sudden, ash‑filled shutdown that lasted two days. The culprit? A burst of volcanic activity on the nearby island of Anak Krakatau, which belched a thick plume of ash into the atmosphere and forced authorities to halt almost 3,000 scheduled flights.

Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi confirmed that Soekarno‑Hatta International Airport, Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, and Bandung’s Husein Sastranegara Airport resumed operations just after midnight. Two smaller airports in Banten province also flicked back on, while three other fields – notably Radin Inten II Airport on Sumatra’s southern tip – stayed closed until mid‑morning as officials kept a wary eye on wind direction.

“We’re taking a conservative approach because wind patterns can change in an instant,” Mr. Purwagandhi explained in a statement. “Our priority is to make sure any lingering ash is cleared from runways, taxiways and aircraft before we let commercial traffic resume.”

Even though tests at most of the reopened airports showed no detectable ash, the extra hours of closure gave ground crews a chance to scrub runways, inspect equipment and give pilots a thorough briefing on the lingering hazards. In the aviation world, even a thin layer of volcanic ash can damage engines, so the caution was well‑warranted.

The volcano itself had been relatively calm on Sunday, with the most recent eruptions recorded at 5:08 a.m. and 5:34 a.m. on Tuesday. While the lava fountains and deafening booms that marked earlier activity had faded, Anak Krakatau remains an active volcanic island, and scientists continue to monitor its output closely.

Travelers who found themselves stranded at the domestic terminal of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali – where several flights to Jakarta were cancelled – finally saw some relief as airlines began re‑booking and rescheduling. The disruption had affected 2,961 flights in total, including 622 international services, leaving thousands of passengers scrambling for alternate routes.

As the sky clears and normalcy returns, authorities urge passengers to stay informed about any further ash advisories. In the meantime, the bustling terminals of Jakarta are back in business, albeit with a few extra safety checks and a renewed appreciation for how quickly nature can throw a wrench into modern travel plans.