Indonesia Airports Reopen After Ash Cloud

Indonesia has reopened its main airports, including the capital's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, after a two-day closure caused by volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau. The closures, which began on Sunday, disrupted thousands of flights and stranded hundreds of thousands of travelers. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi announced that Soekarno-Hatta, Halim Perdanakusuma in Jakarta, and Husein Sastranegara in Bandung, along with two smaller airports in Banten province, resumed operations just after midnight on Tuesday. However, three other airports, including Radin Inten II in Lampung, remained closed until 10 a.m. Tuesday. Another airport, Atung Bungsu in South Sumatra, had already resumed normal operations on Monday morning. The disruption affected more than 341,000 passengers and led to the cancellation or delay of 2,961 flights, including 622 international services. Infrastructure Minister Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono stated that authorities adopted a conservative approach to reopening, prioritizing safety due to the unpredictable nature of wind direction and volcanic ash.