Airport Chaos
Thousands of travellers faced cancellations and delays at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Sunday after volcanic ash from an eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau forced a temporary shutdown.
Footage from Terminal 1C shows long queues snaking through check-in and airline counters, with passengers filling waiting areas and sitting on the airport floor surrounded by luggage as they waited for updates.
Travellers were seen trying to secure refunds or reschedule tickets, while foreign tourists, including passengers from Germany, said they were unsure how to continue their journeys.
“We are here now because we want to go to Lombok, but our flight was cancelled because of the volcano… It’s a little bit difficult for us because nobody can tell us anything about the flights and where we can get our money back and what the next step is,” German traveller Ana said.
Travellers Left Stranded
Passenger Ronald Tampubolon said travellers had little choice but to follow instructions from airport authorities, describing the disruption as beyond anyone’s control.
“Our flight is currently delayed—it was supposed to leave at 11:00 AM, but it’s pushed to 2:00 PM. We’ll see how things develop,” he added.
Another passenger, Maurin, said he was frustrated by the cancellation and struggling to choose between seeking a refund and rescheduling, with long queues making either option difficult.
Reports said hundreds of flights and around 22,800 passengers were affected at Soekarno-Hatta. Separately, 31 Jakarta-bound flights were cancelled at airports across Malaysia following the temporary closure.
Volcano Eruption Disrupts Flights
Anak Krakatau, in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, erupted throughout Saturday, with authorities reporting lava fountains and booming, rumbling sounds from an observation post.
Indonesia’s meteorological agency reported volcanic ash reaching up to 6,000 metres on the Java side of the volcano. In comparison, a plume of up to 15,000 metres was observed on the Sumatra side and over parts of Banten province.
Article by Viory
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