Volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau forced the cancellation of 31 Malaysia-bound Jakarta flights on September 6, 2026, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) for more than 12 hours as they waited for word on when services would resume.
Flight Disruptions Across Malaysia Airports Reach 31 Cancellations, with KLIA Bearing the Heaviest Impact
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) confirmed that 31 Jakarta-bound flights across all Malaysian airports were cancelled on September 6, 2026, following the temporary closure of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport due to volcanic ash from the Mount Anak Krakatau eruption. KLIA recorded the highest concentration of disruptions, with 21 cancellations — 15 at Terminal 1 and six at Terminal 2. The affected flight schedules spanned a wide window, covering departures between 6.45am and 11.55pm, as reported by airlines to MAHB by midday.
Flight operations at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport were suspended until 1.30pm local Indonesian time — equivalent to 2.30pm Malaysian time — leaving passengers with no clear timeline for departure for much of the day.
Passengers Endure 12-Hour Waits at KLIA Terminal 1, Calling for Faster Airline Updates
Among those caught in the disruption was Redy Dwi Lingga, 21, who arrived at KLIA as early as 6am for an 8am flight to Jakarta, only to be told hours later that the service had been cancelled. He described the experience as wholly unexpected and urged authorities to issue flight schedule updates promptly to help stranded travellers make informed decisions.
“I hope everything goes smoothly and the weather clears up so that flights can resume quickly,” he said.
Also stranded was Octavia Suci Siregar, 18, who had been travelling alone and whose 9.55pm flight was cancelled. Having arrived in Malaysia only the week prior, she said she intended to remain at KLIA Terminal 1 until her airline confirmed a new departure date. She, too, called on carriers to communicate more rapidly with affected passengers.
Both travellers expressed a common concern: the absence of timely, clear information from airlines compounded the difficulty of an already prolonged wait.
Mount Anak Krakatau Eruption Sends Ash Plumes to 15,000 Metres, Triggering Multi-Airport Closures Across Indonesia
The eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau — situated in the Sunda Strait between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra — began at 11.07pm local time on Friday, September 5, 2026, and continued through Saturday. Authorities at observation posts reported lava fountains alongside loud booming and rumbling sounds audible throughout the night.
Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation documented volcanic ash reaching heights of 6,000 metres on the Java-facing side of the volcano, while ash plumes extended to as high as 15,000 metres over sections of Sumatra and Banten province in Java. The scale of the ash dispersal was sufficient to force the closure of eight Indonesian airports in total, stranding an estimated 170,000 passengers across the country.
At Soekarno-Hatta alone — Indonesia’s busiest international gateway — the suspension of operations created a cascading effect on regional air travel, including the Malaysia-Jakarta corridor, one of the highest-frequency short-haul routes in Southeast Asia.
The Disruption Extends Beyond KLIA: Six Penang-Jakarta Flights Also Cancelled, Affecting 1,000 Passengers
The impact of the Anak Krakatau eruption on Malaysian aviation was not limited to KLIA. Six flights scheduled to operate between Penang International Airport and Jakarta were also cancelled on September 6, 2026, affecting approximately 1,000 passengers on that route alone. The Penang cancellations added to the nationwide tally of 31 grounded Jakarta-bound services reported by MAHB.
The breadth of disruptions underscored how heavily Malaysia’s aviation network relies on uninterrupted access to Soekarno-Hatta, with the Jakarta route served by multiple carriers out of several Malaysian airports daily. Any extended closure of the Indonesian hub carries immediate knock-on consequences for thousands of travellers on both sides of the route.
What Passengers and Airlines Must Know About the KLIA-Jakarta Disruptions
How many flights to Jakarta were cancelled from Malaysian airports on September 6, 2026? Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd confirmed 31 Jakarta-bound flights were cancelled across all Malaysian airports on September 6, 2026, due to the closure of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport caused by volcanic ash from the Mount Anak Krakatau eruption.
Which airport in Malaysia had the most Jakarta flight cancellations? KLIA recorded the most cancellations, with 21 flights grounded — comprising 15 at Terminal 1 and six at Terminal 2.
How long was Soekarno-Hatta International Airport closed on September 6, 2026? Flight operations at Soekarno-Hatta were suspended until 1.30pm local Indonesian time (2.30pm Malaysian time) on September 6, 2026, following the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau.
How high did the volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau reach? Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation reported ash heights of 6,000 metres on the Java side of the volcano and ash plumes reaching up to 15,000 metres over parts of Sumatra and Banten province.
When did the Mount Anak Krakatau eruption begin? The eruption began at 11.07pm local Indonesian time on Friday, September 5, 2026, and continued into Saturday, September 6, with lava fountains and audible booming and rumbling sounds reported at nearby observation posts.
Were flights from airports other than KLIA affected? Yes. Six Penang International Airport-Jakarta flights were also cancelled, affecting approximately 1,000 passengers, bringing the total nationwide disruption to 31 cancelled Jakarta-bound services.
How many passengers were stranded across Indonesia due to the eruption? The Anak Krakatau eruption forced the closure of eight Indonesian airports in total, stranding an estimated 170,000 passengers across Indonesia.
What were stranded passengers at KLIA asking for? Passengers, including Redy Dwi Lingga and Octavia Suci Siregar, called on airlines and authorities to issue faster, clearer updates on revised flight schedules so that travellers — particularly those travelling alone — could plan their next steps.
The September 6, 2026 disruption to Malaysia-Jakarta air travel, triggered by the Anak Krakatau eruption, resulted in 31 cancelled flights nationwide, over 12 hours of delays at KLIA, and uncertainty for hundreds of passengers awaiting rescheduled departures. With ash plumes recorded at up to 15,000 metres and eight Indonesian airports affected in total, the incident serves as a pointed reminder of how natural volcanic events along the Indonesian archipelago can rapidly ripple outward to disrupt regional aviation networks — and the daily lives of travellers caught in between.
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