Flights to and from Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, have restarted following a two-day shutdown due to volcanic ash from an eruption. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, Husein Sastranegara Airport, and two smaller airports in Banten province have reopened, according to Indonesia’s Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi.
While some airports have resumed operations, three others, including Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung and Atung Bungsu Airport in Pagar Alam, remained closed until 10 a.m. local time as a precautionary measure due to changing wind patterns. Purwagandhi emphasized the need to ensure that volcanic ash has cleared from areas surrounding Anak Krakatau.
Despite tests showing no ash traces at certain airports, extended closures are in place to facilitate thorough inspections and cleaning of airport surfaces, runways, and aircraft components that may have been exposed to volcanic ash.
Anak Krakatau’s eruption, marked by lava fountains and loud noises, subsided on Sunday, yet the volcanic island remained active on Tuesday morning.
The closure of airports on Sunday and Monday impacted nearly 2,961 flights, including 622 international flights, affecting around 341,000 passengers.
