Halim Air Base Resumes Flights after Volcanic Ash Disruption

Jakarta: Indonesian Air Force aircraft at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in Jakarta resumed normal operations Tuesday after Mount Anak Krakatau's volcanic ash forced a two-day suspension of flights, Commander Air Marshal Erwin Sugiandi said.

“Flights in the Jakarta and Bandung areas were closed for two days. Today, thankfully, operations have resumed and returned to normal,” Erwin said here Tuesday as quoted from Antara, Tuesday, September 8, 2026.

Erwin said the suspension was imposed because volcanic ash posed a serious risk to aircraft.

If flights had continued, the ash could have entered aircraft engines and prevented them from operating at full capacity, he said.

With flight operations restored, Indonesian Air Force aircraft at Halim Perdanakusuma will resume strategic missions, including support for national disaster response, Erwin said.

One mission that had been suspended involved transporting relief supplies by cargo aircraft to disaster-hit areas in East Nusa Tenggara Province.

Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi previously said several airports affected by volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau had resumed operations early Tuesday after national aviation safety assessments.

“The operational closure of Soekarno-Hatta Airport and several other airports affected by Mount Anak Krakatau’s volcanic ash has ended,” Dudy said Tuesday.