Volcanic Ash from Indonesia's Mount Ruang Forces Jakarta Airport Flight Suspensions

Jakarta's primary international airport, Soekarno-Hatta, has halted all flight operations following the detection of volcanic ash within its airspace. The disruption stems from recent eruptions of Mount Ruang, located over 1,700 kilometres (1,056 miles) away in North Sulawesi.

The closure, which commenced at 04:00 local time, has impacted more than 20,000 passengers. AirNav Indonesia, the state-owned air traffic control agency, confirmed the decision was made after observing a significant spread of volcanic ash. Reports indicate that at least 138 flights, comprising 70 arrivals and 68 departures, have been affected.

Mount Ruang has erupted multiple times since April, prompting evacuation orders for thousands of residents in the surrounding areas. The volcano's activity has caused repeated closures of several airports in the region, including Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado, North Sulawesi, which has faced intermittent shutdowns over the past month due to the persistent ash clouds.