Singapore Airlines (SIA) cancelled 19 flights between Singapore and Jakarta scheduled for Sunday, 6 September, as volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau disrupted air travel across western Indonesia.
Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport suspended flight operations after volcanic ash was detected at the airport, with the shutdown repeatedly extended during Sunday.
By the afternoon, the airport was due to remain closed until at least 5.30pm Western Indonesia Time, or 6.30pm Singapore time.
19 SIA Flights Cancelled on Sunday
SIA’s advisory listed 19 cancelled services for 6 September.
These comprised 10 scheduled services from Singapore to Jakarta and nine from Jakarta to Singapore. They included flights spread throughout the day, from the early morning until the evening.
The disruption had already begun on Saturday.
SIA cancelled SQ966 from Singapore to Jakarta and SQ967 from Jakarta to Singapore on 5 September. Two other services, SQ968 and SQ951, were initially pushed to Sunday under revised flight numbers, although the rescheduled services subsequently appeared on SIA’s Sunday cancellation list.
SIA said other flights between Singapore and Indonesia could also be affected as conditions continued to change.
Customers who booked directly with SIA can request a new booking or refund through the airline, while passengers who booked through travel agents or partner airlines should approach the company they bought their tickets from.
Hundreds of Flights Affected at Jakarta Airport
Soekarno-Hatta first suspended operations in the early hours of Sunday after tests at the airport indicated the presence of volcanic ash.
The closure was then extended several times as ash continued to affect the surrounding airspace.
Airport operator Angkasa Pura said the suspension had affected 301 flights, including 58 international services, according to Reuters. Six Indonesian airports had suspended flight operations because of the eruption.
Indonesia’s aviation authorities warned that the disruption could continue even after airports reopen because airlines would need to deal with displaced aircraft, disrupted rotations, later flight schedules and terminal capacity.
Volcanic Ash Reached Up to About 15km High
Indonesia’s meteorological agency BMKG said satellite observations on Sunday showed two main areas of volcanic ash.
One extended to about 20,000 feet, or roughly 6km, and moved across areas including Jakarta, Banten and West Java. Another reached about 50,000 feet, or around 15km, and spread towards parts of Banten, Lampung and Bengkulu as well as the Sunda Strait and Indian Ocean.
Anak Krakatau, which sits in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, has been at Indonesia’s Level III or “Siaga” alert level since 2 July.
Indonesia’s Geological Agency said sustained eruptions involving glowing material, ash and lava activity were observed on 5 September. It has told the public and visitors to stay at least 3km away from the volcano’s active centre.
The agency also said its assessment did not indicate that the volcano’s present structure was likely to collapse on a scale that could generate a tsunami, although monitoring is continuing.
