Emirates cancels Jakarta flights as volcanic ash closes Soekarno-Hatta

Emirates cancels Jakarta flights as volcanic ash closes Soekarno-Hatta#

Emirates cancelled flights to Jakarta and Etihad issued operational alerts after volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatoa closed Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Sunday. The airport suspended operations from 01:30 local time after ash was detected in the airspace, according to Indonesia's transport ministry. The closure affected 209 flights and more than 22,000 passengers, with international routes to Doha, Sydney, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur among those disrupted.

Anak Krakatoa eruption produces lava fountain and ash column#

Mount Anak Krakatoa erupted on Saturday, producing a fountain of lava and sounds audible up to 700 kilometres away, Indonesia's geology agency reported. Two further eruptions were recorded on Sunday. The volcano sits in the strait separating Java and Sumatra, more than 150 kilometres from the airport. Paper tests confirmed volcanic ash presence in the airport area, prompting authorities to extend the closure until 09:30 local time Sunday, the transport ministry stated.

Gulf carriers adjust schedules following airport suspension#

Qatar Airways issued alerts regarding Jakarta operations following the airport closure. The suspension affected flights from multiple Gulf hubs, with Doha among the international routes listed by the transport ministry. Soekarno-Hatta is Indonesia's main international gateway, and the ash disruption required carriers to cancel or delay scheduled services until the airspace was cleared for operations.

Anak Krakatoa activity and Pacific Ring of Fire location#

Anak Krakatoa, meaning Child of Krakatoa, emerged from the sea in the early twentieth century in the caldera formed by the 1883 Mount Krakatoa eruption. That eruption killed an estimated 35,000 people and remains one of history's deadliest volcanic disasters. Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where continental plate convergence produces high volcanic and seismic activity. The volcano has been sporadically active since its formation.