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INDONESIA’s Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi has ordered airlines to inspect every aircraft before resuming flights after Mount Anak Krakatau’s eruption disrupted operations at several airports.
The inspections came as several airports reopened after volcanic ash forced closures, with authorities seeking to restore flights safely and in line with aviation standards.
Dudy said airport authorities and airlines must inspect aircraft before reopening operations to ensure flight safety and compliance with applicable regulations.
They must ensure aircraft are free of volcanic ash, including on their surfaces and inside their engines, he said here Tuesday (9/08), 2026.
Pilots and operational crews must also understand restricted polygons marking airspace that remains off-limits because of hazardous volcanic ash.
Dudy said airlines generally have procedures requiring aircraft to be covered while parked, reducing their exposure to volcanic ash.
“Every aircraft, however, must undergo another inspection before departure because fine ash particles can penetrate engines despite protective measures,” he added.
He urged the public to understand that volcanic ash particles are extremely fine, making thorough inspections essential before flights resume.
Several airports affected by volcanic ash began reopening early Tuesday after a national aviation safety assessment determined that operations could safely resume.
“Soekarno-Hatta Airport and other affected airports were cleared to resume normal operations on Tuesday after the volcanic ash disruption ended,” Dudy added.
Terminal 1 at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang, Banten, resumed operations at 12:01 a.m., followed by Halim Perdanakusuma Airport and Husein Sastranegara Airport. Budiarto Curug Airport and Pondok Cabe Airport in Banten also resumed operations at 2:25 a.m. [antaranews]
