Jakarta. Indonesia’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport will remain shut until Monday at 6 p.m. Jakarta time following disruptions caused by Mount Anak Krakatau's volcanic ash. 

The country’s main international airport has stayed closed since Sunday early morning at around 1.30 a.m. 

According to September 7 flight data as of 6.30 a.m., the airport reported 243 affected flights. Some flyers had their flights canceled or delayed, while others had to move to other airports. About 184 of them were domestic flights, while 54 others were international flights and 5 cargo trips. As many as 29,619 passengers were affected.

Yudistiawan, the airport’s assistant deputy for communications, said that several “recovery” facilities were available for the stranded passengers. These include food and beverage refreshments as well as resting areas. The airport operator InJourney Airports is also offering free bus services for Yogyakarta, Solo, Semarang, and Surabaya.

“We understand that this situation affects the passengers’ trips. That’s why we focus on making sure that their needs remain served,” Yudistiawan said.

The Anak Krakatau volcano, which lies in the Sunda Strait, began erupting late Friday night. Its volcanic ash has spread to Jakarta and Banten, where the Soekarno-Hatta Airport is located. 

The state-owned air navigation provider AirNav Indonesia said that it “would keep an eye” on the airspace and the volcanic ash.

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