18 Komodo Airport flights cancelled after Anak Krakatau ash disrupts Jakarta

Labuan Bajo — — Komodo International Airport saw 18 Jakarta–Labuan Bajo flights cancelled over Sunday, 6 September, and Monday, 7 September 2026, after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau disrupted aviation operations, according to the airport operator and local media reports.

The airport’s operator reported that eight flights on Monday, 7 September, were cancelled on the Jakarta–Labuan Bajo route in both directions because aircraft and crews were unable to operate as scheduled while Jakarta-area airports remained closed or restricted by volcanic ash advisories. The cancellations affected a total of 1,154 passengers, comprising 497 arriving passengers and 657 departing passengers.

According to the same operational report, the affected flights on 7 September were operated by Garuda Indonesia, Batik Air Indonesia, Indonesia AirAsia and Super Air Jet, all on the Jakarta–Labuan Bajo route. An international service between Malaysia and Labuan Bajo continued to operate that day, with AirAsia maintaining its round-trip schedule.

Two-day disruption

The disruption began on Sunday, 6 September 2026, when ten Jakarta–Labuan Bajo flights were cancelled as ash clouds from Anak Krakatau drifted toward the Jakarta area. The head of Komodo Airport said the Sunday cancellations comprised five arriving flights and five departures, all on the Labuan Bajo–Cengkareng route, affecting 1,280 passengers.

He detailed that 514 arriving passengers and 766 departing passengers were impacted by the 6 September cancellations. The cancelled services that day were operated by five airlines: Garuda Indonesia, Citilink, Batik Air, Indonesia AirAsia and Super Air Jet. Citilink did not appear in the airport’s list of cancelled Jakarta–Labuan Bajo flights on Monday, reflecting its schedule for that date.

Based on figures provided by the airport operator for the two days:

• 6 September: ten cancelled flights and 1,280 affected passengers.
• 7 September: eight cancelled flights and 1,154 affected passengers.
• Two-day total: 18 cancelled flights and 2,434 affected passengers.

The airport described the cancellations as a direct consequence of Anak Krakatau’s volcanic ash spreading into Jakarta’s airspace, which forced restrictions at the capital’s main airports and disrupted traffic along the Jakarta–Labuan Bajo corridor.

Separate statements from aviation authorities and airport operators in Jakarta reported that Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Halim Perdanakusuma Airport were temporarily closed to flight operations on 6–7 September due to ash from Anak Krakatau. Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by AirNav Indonesia ordered the suspension of departures and arrivals at Soekarno-Hatta starting early on 6 September, with closure periods extended several times on safety grounds.

Updates from transport officials and airport management on 7 September indicated that several airports, including Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma, remained closed or under extended restrictions, with estimated reopening times pushed back to the evening of 7 September. These closures limited aircraft movements between Jakarta and regional destinations, including Labuan Bajo.

Passenger and schedule information

Airport officials in Labuan Bajo said they were monitoring wind direction and ash dispersion assessments from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) as well as safety evaluations of airspace before confirming when normal schedules could resume on the Jakarta route. As of 6 September, they could not provide certainty about operations on 7 September, pending further monitoring and coordination with aviation regulators.

National aviation and airport authorities later reported that all Indonesian airports affected by Anak Krakatau’s ash cloud, including those in the Jakarta area, returned to normal operations after safety inspections and airspace assessments in the days following the eruption. However, detailed information on individual flight numbers, rebooking arrangements or refund policies for passengers affected at Komodo International Airport has not been publicly disclosed in the available reports.

Context

Anak Krakatau, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, experienced increased eruptive activity in early September 2026, sending ash clouds into the atmosphere. BMKG and AirNav Indonesia reported that volcanic ash drifted toward western Java, prompting precautionary closures and restrictions at multiple airports, including Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma, to protect flight safety.

The resulting disruption cascaded through the national network, with Komodo International Airport in Labuan Bajo recording two days of cancellations on its key Jakarta route. While international services between Malaysia and Labuan Bajo continued on 7 September, domestic travellers on the Jakarta corridor faced significant delays and cancellations during the ash-related shutdown.

Sources

• Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Transportation – Komodo Airport operational report
• RRI Labuan Bajo – report on Anak Krakatau impact at Komodo Airport
• CNBC Indonesia – update on Anak Krakatau’s impact on Indonesian airports
• Okezone – report on temporary closure of Halim, Soekarno-Hatta and Radin Inten II
• BMKG – press release on monitoring Anak Krakatau eruption impacts
• Tangsel Pos – article on Anak Krakatau-related airport closures
• Medcom – report on Indonesian airports resuming normal operations after Anak Krakatau eruption
• detikBali