Flights to and from Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, have resumed following a two-day closure caused by volcanic ash from an eruption. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta, Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung, and two smaller airports in Banten province have reopened after the shutdown. Indonesia’s Transportation Minister, Dudy Purwagandhi, announced the reopening, with three other airports remaining closed until 10 a.m. local time, including Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung on Sumatra island’s southern tip.
Purwagandhi explained that a cautious approach is being taken due to the dynamic wind direction, ensuring that volcanic ash has cleared from airports near Anak Krakatau. Despite no traces of volcanic ash found in tests at several airports, the extended closures are aimed at inspecting and cleaning runways, taxiways, and aircraft surfaces that might have been exposed to volcanic ash.
The recent eruption of Anak Krakatau, characterized by lava fountains and loud sounds, ceased on Sunday, but the volcanic island remains active. The closures on Sunday and Monday led to the disruption of around 2,961 flights, including 622 international flights, impacting approximately 341,000 passengers.