BALINEWSID.COM, BADUNG — Increased volcanic activity at Mount Anak Krakatau has disrupted air travel across Indonesia, with at least 17 flights at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport canceled or subject to schedule adjustments as of Sunday (September 6) at 10 a.m. local time.

The disruption has also affected several other airports. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Halim Perdanakusuma Airport and Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung were temporarily closed due to airspace conditions affected by volcanic ash.

At I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, five arrival flights from Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport (CGK) to Denpasar (DPS) were canceled. The flights were operated by TransNusa and Indonesia AirAsia.

On the departure side, 12 flights were affected, with most canceled and one experiencing a delay. The Denpasar-Jakarta route was among the routes most severely affected.

Gede Eka Sandi Asmadi, Head of the Communication & Legal Division at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, said airport operations remained generally normal despite the flight disruptions.

“Flight operations and airport services at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport are generally continuing normally and optimally,” Gede Eka said in an official statement on Sunday.

PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia, also known as InJourney Airports, is coordinating with airlines to update flight schedules and assist affected passengers who are already at the terminal.

The airport operator is also coordinating with AirNav Indonesia to monitor developments in airspace affected by the volcanic activity of Mount Anak Krakatau.

InJourney Airports has also prepared service recovery measures for affected passengers who are already at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport.

Three Airports Temporarily Closed

The impact of the volcanic eruption has extended beyond Bali. Volcanic ash affecting airspace has prompted the temporary closure of three airports as a flight safety measure.

The affected airports are Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta, and Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung.

Volcanic ash poses a serious threat to aviation because it can reduce visibility and potentially enter aircraft engines. Monitoring the movement and concentration of volcanic ash is therefore a key factor in determining whether flight operations can safely continue.

At Soekarno-Hatta Airport, the disruption has had a significantly broader impact, affecting hundreds of flights and tens of thousands of passengers.

The situation underscores how increased activity at Mount Anak Krakatau can trigger a ripple effect across Indonesia’s air connectivity, disrupting routes between major cities and regions.

Passengers Urged to Check Flight Status

InJourney Airports has urged passengers not to travel to the airport before confirming their flight status with their respective airlines.

Passengers are advised to check their flight information regularly, as schedules may change depending on airspace conditions and developments in volcanic activity.

For information regarding airport services, passengers and the public can contact the InJourney Airports Contact Center at 172.

Authorities and relevant agencies continue to monitor airspace conditions to ensure that decisions regarding flight operations prioritize passenger and aviation safety.