Anak Krakatau Eruption Disrupts 300,000 Air Passengers
An Anak Krakatau eruption disrupted about 300,000 passengers and temporarily closed airports, prompting Indonesia to review emergency coordination.
JAKARTA, Indonesia — An eruption of Anak Krakatau disrupted about 300,000 air passengers over several days, prompting Indonesia’s transportation minister to call for stronger emergency coordination across the aviation sector. Volcanic ash led to temporary airport closures, including at the country’s main Soekarno-Hatta airport, where about 30,000 passengers were affected.
Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said the disruption, which followed the volcano’s eruption from Sept. 5 to 8, 2026, offered lessons for handling future disasters. Authorities said they suspended airport operations as a safety measure while government agencies, airport operators, air navigation providers and airlines coordinated assistance and the eventual reopening.
Airport closures tested aviation response
The disruption affected travelers across several airports. Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation said passengers stranded at airports received support through joint efforts by airport managers and airlines, including Citilink, Garuda Indonesia and Lion Group.
For travelers, the response involved more than deciding whether aircraft could operate safely. Clear information and coordinated assistance also mattered as schedules were disrupted and passengers waited for services to resume. The episode tested how quickly aviation authorities could protect passengers and crews while arranging practical support for people caught in the closures.
Dudy praised the cooperation among the agencies and companies involved. “I would like to express my deep gratitude for the excellent cooperation of all parties in addressing the impact of the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau, and this has become a lesson for us,” he said, according to Republika.co.id.
He said the experience would inform efforts to improve readiness for disasters and other emergencies. The government’s account emphasized that safety decisions had to move quickly as conditions changed, while passenger services continued to require coordination among multiple operators.
Volcanic ash affected several airports
Achmad Setiyo Prabowo, secretary of the Ministry of Transportation’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation, said volcanic ash affected several airports that were temporarily closed. The list included Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma, as well as Radin Inten II in Lampung, Husein Sastranegara in Bandung, Budiarto in Curug, Pondok Cabe, Taufik Kiemas and Atung Bungsu.
Achmad said aviation regulators could not manage a fast-moving disruption alone. “Imagine if, in a situation like this, we as regulators worked by ourselves — we would be overwhelmed. The public might have made many complaints, grievances and so on,” he said in Bandung on Friday, Oct. 2, as reported by Republika.co.id.
Separate reporting by Antara said Anak Krakatau was erupting on Friday afternoon and listed its status as Level II, or Alert. Antara also cited a Geological Agency recommendation that the public, visitors, tourists and climbers stay at least two kilometers from the active crater.
The eruption occurred near the Sunda Strait, between Java and Sumatra. Dudy said the experience showed why emergency procedures and coordination across institutions need to be clear before the next disruption. “We managed to overcome something that may never have happened before, and thankfully, thanks to the excellent cooperation of all parties, tens of thousands of passengers were handled well,” he said.
