Anak Krakatau Ash Disrupts Jakarta–Labuan Bajo Flights

Labuan Bajo — Volcanic ash from the eruption of Anak Krakatau forced the cancellation of flights on the Jakarta–Labuan Bajo route on Sunday, 6 September 2026, disrupting operations at Komodo International Airport and affecting more than a thousand passengers according to airport and transport ministry statements.

Data from Komodo Airport show that services on the Jakarta route were cancelled as a safety measure due to ash dispersal in airspace linked to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. Airport officials said decisions were taken in coordination with airlines and aviation authorities, based on volcanic ash advisories and updates from Indonesia’s meteorological agency.

One airport report stated that 10 flights between Labuan Bajo and Jakarta were cancelled on 6 September 2026, comprising five arrivals and five departures. The head of Komodo Airport, Cepi (Ceppy) Triono, said these cancellations affected a total of 1,280 passengers travelling to and from Labuan Bajo, with 514 on inbound flights and 766 on outbound services.

In a separate operational update published the following day, the transport ministry’s airport operator directorate reported that eight flights on the Jakarta–Labuan Bajo route were cancelled, involving four arrivals and four departures, impacting 1,154 passengers — 497 inbound and 657 outbound. The ministry noted that the affected flights were operated by Batik Air Indonesia, Indonesia AirAsia, Garuda Indonesia and Super Air Jet.

Local media citing Komodo Airport added Citilink and Indonesia AirAsia to the list of carriers that cancelled services on the route on Sunday. These reports said the disrupted services covered both directions on the Labuan Bajo–Soekarno-Hatta corridor, but did not provide a flight-by-flight breakdown for each airline.

Passengers rebooked and refunded at the airport

Airport head Cepi Triono said airport management coordinated with airlines serving the Jakarta route as cancellations were confirmed. According to RRI and regional media, passengers were directed to airline offices inside the terminal for information on replacement flights and refund procedures.

Reports from Labuan Bajo stated that passengers whose flights were cancelled had begun to be handled by their respective airlines on Sunday morning, helping to avoid long queues in the terminal. The coverage did not detail whether individual carriers provided accommodation, meals or automatic rebooking, but indicated that re-scheduling and refunds were being managed at Komodo Airport.

Wider disruption from Anak Krakatau ash

The disruption in Labuan Bajo was part of a wider cascade of impacts from Anak Krakatau’s ash cloud on Indonesia’s aviation network. Notices to airmen and operational updates from the transport ministry and BMKG reported temporary closures or severe restrictions at major airports including Soekarno-Hatta in Tangerang, Halim Perdanakusuma in Jakarta, Radin Inten II in Lampung and Husein Sastranegara in Bandung.

BMKG said paper tests on runway surfaces on 7–8 September confirmed the presence of volcanic ash at several airports, prompting temporary closure orders that affected hundreds of flights and tens of thousands of passengers. NASA’s Earth Observatory later reported that ash in the atmosphere from Anak Krakatau led to temporary closure of eight airports on Java and Sumatra and disrupted nearly 3,000 flights in and out of the region, citing Indonesian and international news reports.

Unclear total for Komodo cancellations

By Monday, 7 September 2026, Komodo Airport and the transport ministry were still updating figures for cancelled flights and affected passengers, with local media citing both the 10-flight, 1,280-passenger total and the eight-flight, 1,154-passenger figure from official data. Airport officials said further decisions on route diversions and the reinstatement of flights would depend on ongoing safety assessments, ash monitoring and airline policies.

Travellers on the Jakarta–Labuan Bajo route were advised by officials and media reports to check directly with their airline for the latest schedules and rebooking options, rather than rely solely on airport departure boards.

Sources

• RRI Ende - Erupsi Anak Krakatau, 1.280 Penumpang di Bandara Komodo Terdampak
• Pos-Kupang / Tribun Kupang - 1.280 Penumpang Batal Terbang dari Bandara Labuan Bajo Imbas Erupsi Gunung Anak Krakatau
• Hubud Kemenhub - Dampak Abu Vulkanik Anak Gunung Krakatau, 8 Penerbangan di Bandara Komodo Dibatalkan
• Detik Bali - 10 Penerbangan di Bandara Komodo Dibatalkan Imbas Erupsi Anak Krakatau
• Berita Borneo - Erupsi Anak Krakatau Ganggu Penerbangan, 1.280 Penumpang Terdampak
• BMKG press release - Imbas Sebaran Abu Vulknaik Anak Krakatau, 8 Bandara Ditutup Sementara
• NASA Earth Observatory - Anak Krakatau Rumbles Again