Flight Cancellations Mount As Volcanic Ash Affects Jakarta
Airfreight operations in Indonesia are facing major disruption after eruptions from Anak Krakatau sent volcanic ash across Jakarta and surrounding areas, prompting widespread flight cancellations, diversions and airport closures.
The volcano, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, began erupting late on Friday, with further activity continuing through the weekend. Ash clouds have since been carried by dry, windy conditions across western Indonesia, creating a serious safety risk to aircraft engines and systems.
Seven Indonesian airports, including both Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta, remain closed. Soekarno-Hatta is the country’s principal international air cargo gateway and is currently expected to remain shut until at least 6pm local time on Monday, although authorities have stressed that this remains subject to changing weather and volcanic conditions.
More than 2,300 flights have reportedly been cancelled, delayed or diverted, while services at Bali and Medan have also been disrupted. There have been no reported airport closures outside Indonesia, but the impact is relevant to UK-bound freight moving via major regional hubs and connections.
Even once airports reopen, airlines will need time to restore aircraft rotations, reposition crews and clear accumulated cargo backlogs. This could lead to slower recovery times, reduced short-term capacity and missed onward connections.
The risk is not yet over. Indonesia’s volcano monitoring agency has warned that the likelihood of further eruptions remains high, meaning further operational restrictions cannot be ruled out.
Atlantic Pacific will continue to monitor developments closely. Customers with urgent or time-sensitive shipments are encouraged to contact our team for the latest routing and capacity advice.
