KUALA LUMPUR — A total of 31 flights connecting Malaysia and Jakarta were cancelled today after volcanic ash from the eruption of Anak Krakatau prompted the temporary closure of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) said the cancellations, based on reports submitted by airlines as of noon today, involved scheduled flights between 6.45am and 11.55pm, Bernama reported.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) recorded the highest number of disruptions, with 21 flights cancelled — 15 at Terminal 1 and six at Terminal 2.
“Penang International Airport recorded six cancellations, while Kuching International Airport recorded one, Subang Airport two and Kota Bharu International Airport one,” MAHB said in a statement today.
Anak Krakatau, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, continued to erupt on Saturday, with authorities reporting lava-fountaining activity accompanied by booming and rumbling sounds from a nearby observation post.
The eruption began at 11.07pm local time on Friday and remained active during monitoring carried out from midnight until 6am yesterday.
Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation said volcanic ash from the eruption reached heights of up to 6,000 metres on the Java side of the volcano. Ash columns of up to 15,000 metres were also observed on the Sumatra side and parts of Banten province in Java.
The disruption prompted reactions from affected travellers on social media, with many expressing frustration over cancelled flights, altered travel arrangements and uncertainty over their plans.
One Threads user, who had taken leave for the trip, questioned whether a ticket from Johor Bahru to Jakarta would be refunded, saying the disruption had affected his holiday plans and resulted in wasted leave.
Another user shared that a Jakarta-Kuala Lumpur flight had been cancelled and rescheduled to September 8, asking, “What am I supposed to do now?”
A separate user also raised concerns about family members who were stranded in Jakarta following the disruption.
“What’s the status now in Jakarta. Family is still there. Flight this morning was cancelled, and back to the hotel again,” the user wrote.
Flight operations at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport were suspended until 1.30pm local time today, or 2.30pm Malaysian time.
Earlier, KLIA’s official social media platforms issued a travel advisory urging passengers affected by the disruption to contact their respective airlines for the latest updates on flight schedules.
MAHB added that rest areas had been made available for affected passengers while they waited for further information. – September 6, 2026