Flights between the UAE, other Gulf countries and Indonesia faced further disruption on Tuesday as volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau continued to affect air travel, despite the reopening of Jakarta’s main airport and several other Indonesian airports.
Emirates cancelled three flights between Dubai and Jakarta on September 8, according to an update published by the airline. The affected services included EK356 from Dubai to Jakarta and the return flights EK357 and EK359 from Jakarta to Dubai.
Qatar Airways also cancelled flight QR959 on Tuesday as volcanic ash continued to affect parts of the regional airspace.
Airlines have cancelled and delayed services to and from Jakarta since Friday following a series of eruptions at Mount Anak Krakatau, which is located between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra.
Ash from the volcano spread across Jakarta and surrounding areas after the initial eruption late on Friday, creating hazardous flying conditions and forcing the closure of eight airports. The disruption affected more than 340,000 travellers and caused widespread changes to flight schedules across the region.
Indonesia began reopening airports on Tuesday as weather conditions improved and winds pushed volcanic ash away from key aviation routes.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta’s main airport, resumed operations after authorities determined that ash was no longer posing the same immediate threat to aircraft operating in the area.
Four additional airports, including another airport in Jakarta and one in the neighbouring city of Bandung, also reopened on Tuesday. One airport had resumed operations on Monday, while two remained closed as authorities continued to monitor conditions.
Singapore Airlines announced changes to the timing of its flights between Singapore and Jakarta as services gradually resumed. The carrier said it would operate eight additional relief flights on September 8 to help transport passengers affected by the disruption, subject to seat availability.
The airline said affected customers would be progressively rebooked on the next available flights as operations returned to normal.
Malaysia Airlines also began gradually restoring its Jakarta services on Tuesday. The carrier said it was closely monitoring the evolving situation and would communicate further changes directly to affected passengers.
Travellers were advised to check the latest flight information before heading to the airport, as volcanic activity and changing wind conditions could continue to affect operations.
The disruption marks the fourth consecutive day of travel problems caused by the Anak Krakatau eruption, with airlines across the Gulf and Southeast Asia continuing to adjust schedules while Indonesian authorities assess conditions at the remaining closed airports.
