Tangerang, Banten. Indonesia has temporarily closed eight airports until midnight Sunday after a shift in wind direction raised concerns that volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau could spread to additional areas and disrupt flight operations.

Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said the government decided to extend the airport closures after its latest assessment showed winds that had been carrying the ash plume westward earlier in the day had shifted toward the east.

The government is reviewing conditions every four hours, with the latest update received at around 5 p.m. local time showing the change in wind direction, Dudy said at an integrated command post at Terminal 1 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

“Earlier this afternoon, the wind was heading west. Now, according to information from BMKG, it is heading east,” Dudy said, referring to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency.

The change in wind direction is raising concern that the volcanic ash could spread further, particularly at certain altitudes.

Two additional airports were identified as being affected, bringing the total number of temporarily closed airports to eight. The government will reassess the situation around midnight before deciding whether to reopen them.

“We want to make sure whether the risk is decreasing or increasing,” Dudy said.

Ash tests conducted every 30 minutes
Authorities are conducting regular tests to detect volcanic ash not only at the eight affected airports but also at other airports located along potentially affected flight paths.

Dudy said paper tests were being conducted every 30 minutes at airports across the country, particularly those to the east of the volcano.

“We conduct paper tests every 30 minutes at all airports, not only at those eight airports, especially airports in the direction of the east,” he said.

The monitoring is intended to detect any further expansion or reduction in the volcanic ash plume and help authorities assess aviation risks.

Alternative airports operating around the clock
To minimize disruptions, the Transportation Ministry has opened several alternative airports for 24-hour operations, including Kertajati, Semarang, Yogyakarta International Airport and Solo.

Airlines can use the airports for takeoffs and landings if necessary, Dudy said.

The government is also preparing ground transportation options for passengers who need to continue their journeys from alternative airports.

However, individual airlines will decide whether to reroute flights to the alternative airports.

“It depends on the airlines whether they want to use the alternative airports,” Dudy said.

Passengers can also decide whether to continue their journeys using alternative routes or cancel their trips.

Soekarno-Hatta terminals begin to clear
Passenger congestion at Soekarno-Hatta has eased after airlines began informing travelers about flight disruptions, Dudy said.

Terminals 1B, 2 and 3, which had been crowded earlier in the day, were significantly less busy by Sunday afternoon.

“The terminals were very crowded earlier today, but now they are much less crowded,” he said.

Dudy praised airport operator Angkasa Pura and airlines for actively communicating with passengers, allowing travelers whose flights had been affected to avoid unnecessary trips to the airport.

Merak ferry service remains operational
Ferry services at Merak Port in Banten remained operational despite the disruption to air travel, although passenger numbers had fallen, Dudy said.

Passenger traffic was estimated at around 60% to 61% of the normal daily projection.

The government has not added vessels to the Merak crossing because demand has declined, with travelers apparently taking weather and safety conditions into consideration before deciding whether to travel.

The government has yet to determine when the eight airports will reopen. Authorities will continue evaluating conditions based on the movement of volcanic ash and changes in wind direction.

“Weather conditions can change dynamically, so we have to anticipate every possibility,” Dudy said. “The most important thing is how we anticipate these changing conditions.”

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