AirAsia, Batik Air cancel Jakarta flights as Anak Krakatau erupts

UPDATE: The disruption has grown overnight, and it is still spreading. Indonesia’s transport ministry now counts 209 hit flights, up sharply from 33 on Saturday night. The eruption also hit schools and fishing trips in Lampung and Banten. Residents there say the ash is stinging their eyes. But there is some relief too: Indonesia’s disaster agency says there is no imminent tsunami risk. That reassurance matters, since a 2018 eruption from the same volcano caused a tsunami. Hundreds died then.

Malaysia Airlines has now provided an update. The airline confirmed it is cancelling 12 flights between Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta on 6 September. That covers six round trips on the KUL-CGK route. MAS says it is watching the situation closely. It will update and contact affected passengers directly. The airline is also asking passengers to check their contact details on My Booking.

Mount Anak Krakatau erupted through the weekend. The eruption forced Jakarta’s main airport to shut down. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport suspended flights overnight. Volcanic ash had spread into its airspace, and the closure disrupted dozens of flights.

Flights to Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul, Doha, Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur all felt the impact. At least 33 flights were hit as of Saturday night. AirAsia cancelled or rescheduled several Jakarta flights because of the eruption. Malaysia Airlines had not said anything as of writing.

Ash cloud shuts down Jakarta’s main airport

Anak Krakatau has held Indonesia’s Level III alert since 2 July. That is the country’s second-highest warning level. The volcano began a nonstop lava-fountain eruption late Friday, 4 September. Indonesian officials call it the volcano’s strongest activity this year.

Officials had planned to reopen Soekarno-Hatta at 5.30am Sunday. Tests then found fresh ash near the airport. Officials pushed the reopening to 9.30am and issued a formal notice about the airspace.

Indonesia’s transport ministry counted the damage by Saturday night. Officials cancelled 16 international flights, delayed seven and rebooked five more. They also cancelled four home flights and sent one to a different airport.

The ash cloud reached past Jakarta too. Lampung’s main airport also shut down. That closure cancelled three Jakarta-Lampung flights, run by TransNusa and Lion Air. Officials are still tracking the ash cloud as it moves.

AirAsia, Batik Air and MAS grounds flights

AirAsia said volcanic ash poses a big safety risk to planes. The airline changed plans on flights whose paths cross the ash cloud. It wants passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.

The airline has not said how many Jakarta flights this hits. It has, though, told passengers they can rebook for free while this plays out.

Batik Air also grounded flights. In a travel advisory issued Saturday, the airline listed eight cancelled services for 6 September. The list covers both Kuala Lumpur–Jakarta and Subang–Jakarta routes, in both directions. Batik Air pointed affected passengers to its WhatsApp line and customer care email for help.

Malaysia Airlines has moved fast on past Indonesian eruptions. Back in April 2024, during the Mount Ruang eruption, the airline group acted quickly. It let affected passengers change their trip once for free, or get a full refund. That offer came out within a day.

Travellers with Jakarta flights booked today should check with their airline before heading out. Officials have already pushed back the reopening once, and things could change again.