Indonesia's capital airport and three other hubs extended their operational closures until 6 pm on Monday following a volcanic eruption that stranded tens of thousands of passengers. Airport operator Angkasa Pura said the extensions affected at least four airports, including Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, as well as Halim Perdanakusuma, a smaller facility handling commercial and military flights.
Mount Anak Krakatau, situated roughly 150 kilometres from Jakarta, erupted on Saturday, spewing lava and towering plumes of ash. The transport ministry confirmed that eight airports across the region halted operations over the weekend after ash drifted into their airspace, disrupting hundreds of flights and affecting more than 170,000 travellers.
Angkasa Pura said in a statement: "In connection with the increasing eruption activity of Mount Anak Krakatau, flight operations at several airports have been suspended; passengers are advised to regularly monitor their flight status with the respective airlines."
According to the national geology agency, the likelihood of further eruptive activity remained high through Monday morning. Mount Anak Krakatau has been sporadically active since emerging from the sea early last century inside the massive caldera formed by the cataclysmic 1883 eruption of Mount Krakatau.
In 2018, a partial collapse of Anak Krakatau triggered a devastating tsunami that killed 429 people and displaced thousands.
