Flights to and from Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, have resumed following a two-day closure caused by volcanic ash from an eruption. Indonesia’s Transportation Minister, Dudy Purwagandhi, announced the reopening of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta, Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung, West Java, and two smaller airports in Banten province just after midnight. However, Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung and other airports remained closed until 10 a.m. local time due to fluctuating wind directions.
Purwagandhi explained that despite some airports showing no volcanic ash traces, the cautious approach was taken to ensure the safety of airports near Anak Krakatau. The closures allowed for thorough inspections and cleaning of airport surfaces and equipment, such as runways and aircraft, that might have been affected by volcanic ash exposure.
Although the eruption of Anak Krakatau, characterized by lava fountains and loud noises, ceased on Sunday, the volcanic island remained active on Tuesday. The closure of airports on Sunday and Monday resulted in the disruption of nearly 2,961 flights, including 622 international flights, impacting approximately 341,000 passengers.