Indonesia has prepared three airports across Java to handle domestic and international flights diverted from six airports affected by volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau.
The number of closed airports rose to six on Sunday after Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung, West Java, was shut at noon as tests continued to detect volcanic ash in the area.
Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said Kertajati International Airport in Majalengka, Jenderal Ahmad Yani International Airport in Semarang and Juanda International Airport in Sidoarjo had been designated as alternative landing points.
“There are several airports in Java that we are preparing as alternatives for landings by flights from outside Java as well as international flights,” he said during an online press conference on Sunday.
The other affected airports are Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung, Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, Pondok Cabe Airport and Budiarto Airport.
Dudy said all six airports would remain closed for at least another four hours following the latest tests, which continued to show the presence of volcanic ash.
Kertajati Airport was already receiving diverted flights, with two Garuda Indonesia services from Jeddah and Madinah redirected there.
“So far, based on the results of tests conducted at Kertajati Airport, it has not yet been affected and operations are still possible,” Dudy said.
However, he urged airlines to remain vigilant as weather conditions remained unpredictable and volcanic ash could spread towards the airport.
For affected passengers, airlines have been instructed to promptly notify them of cancellations and facilitate cancellations and ticket refunds electronically, allowing them to avoid unnecessary trips to the airports.
Dudy also encouraged passengers and businesses to consider rail, road and sea transport, which remained unaffected by the eruption, including for transporting goods normally moved by air.
Meanwhile, ferry services across the Sunda Strait remained operational. Dudy said no additional vessels had been deployed on the Merak-Bakauheni route as passenger numbers had fallen amid the eruption.
