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TRANSPORATION Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said his office has prepared 10 airports to operate 24 hours a day to speed up the recovery of flight schedules disrupted by the recent Mount Anak Krakatau eruption.
“We have also prepared 10 airports operating around the clock to accommodate flight diversions and accelerate schedule recovery,” Purwagandhi said during a virtual meeting with President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on Monday (9/07), 2026.
Five of the 10 airports include Kertajati International Airport in Majalengka, West Java; Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, East Java; Jenderal Ahmad Yani International Airport in Semarang, Central Java; Adi Soemarmo International Airport in Surakarta, Central Java; and New Yogyakarta International Airport.
Those five airports serve as alternatives to anticipate operational disruptions across seven affected airports.
Purwaghandi reported that, as of the latest update on Monday at 12:10 p.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIB), the volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau was observed at an altitude of around 15,000 feet, moving southwest at 10 knots.
According to Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) forecast, the ash spread is expected to persist until about 6:10 a.m. WIB on Tuesday (Sept 8).
He noted the government must confirm the movement of volcanic ash before deciding to reopen airports, noting that changing wind directions could carry ash back toward airport grounds.
He added Juanda Airport will increase flight capacity as Singapore Airlines switches from a Boeing 737-800 to a wide-body Airbus A350, as a move aimed at transporting more passengers affected by the schedule disruptions.
The government has also added four domestic flights from several regions, including Denpasar, Batam, Makassar, and Pekanbaru.
Additional flights have been arranged through Ahmad Yani Airport, serving routes from Makassar, Denpasar, Labuan Bajo, and Lombok. At New Yogyakarta International Airport, Saudia Airlines will operate flights through the airport.
Meanwhile, Kertajati Airport has begun handling Garuda Indonesia’s international flights to and from Jeddah, Medina, and Amsterdam. Lion Air is also scheduled to operate flights from Kertajati to Jeddah.
Purwaghandi affirmed passengers affected by the flight cancellations are entitled to their full rights under regulations, including a 100% refund.
Furthermore, the government is granting immigration leniency for foreign nationals who overstay their visas due to flight cancellations.
To facilitate the passenger transfers to alternative airports, a state airport operator InJourney Airports, in collaboration with multiple stakeholders, has arranged free ground transportation, including shuttle buses and train services.
Purwaghandi emphasised the government continues to manage the fallout of Mount Anak Krakatau’s eruption on the aviation sector, which includes closely monitoring volcanic ash conditions before reopening affected airports. [antaranews]
