Jakarta [Indonesia], September 6 (ANI): Air transit across Southeast Asia faced severe disruption on Sunday after intense explosive activity at Mount Anak Krakatau sent vast ash plumes towering up to 50,000 feet into the sky. 

The resulting airborne hazard forced safety authorities to implement a temporary grounding of flight operations at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, triggering a chain reaction of cancellations, delays, and reroutings across major regional carriers.

The decision to halt operations at Indonesia's principal gateway followed diagnostic runway sweeps between midnight and 1:00 AM, which confirmed dangerous accumulations of volcanic particulate matter, reported Al Jazeera.

Initially intended as a brief suspension, air navigation officials extended the operational halt until mid-afternoon to ensure runway safety. The Indonesia's Ministry of Transportation confirmed dozens of disrupted routes during the early hours, including 16 international cancellations and numerous delayed arrivals, reported Al Jazeera.

Civil Aviation Director General Lukman F Laisa affirmed that safety protocols dictated the shutdown, as airborne volcanic glass poses catastrophic risks to aircraft jet engines and cockpit visibility.

"Safety remains the top priority in every operational decision, including flight schedule adjustments made by airlines," Lukman stated, adding that continuous coordination remains active alongside carriers, air navigation teams, and meteorological specialists.

Airlines operating in the region swiftly restructured their schedules to safeguard passengers.

Garuda Indonesia and AirAsia, both low-cost carriers, announced widespread schedule adjustments, urging passengers bound for or departing Jakarta to check digital portals before travelling to terminals.

In light of the disruptions, the airline has advised travellers to verify their flight statuses prior to departing for the airport. Passengers can connect with the Garuda Indonesia Contact Centre through the dedicated telephone numbers 0804 1 807 807 or 021 2351 9999, alongside monitoring the carrier's official digital channels for ongoing updates.

Emphasising that passenger well-being remains the primary institutional priority, the airline expressed gratitude to travellers for their cooperation and patience during the weather-related scheduling changes. 

AirAsia has cancelled or rescheduled multiple flight services operating to and from Jakarta after Soekarno-Hatta International Airport halted operations until 9:30 am local time (10:30 am Malaysian time). 

Singapore Airlines cancelled nearly 20 scheduled flights on its busy Singapore-Jakarta corridor throughout the day, warning that the fluid movement of ash clouds could force further schedule modifications across Indonesian routes.

The affected services span major departure windows throughout the day. Singapore (SIN) to Jakarta (CGK): SQ950, SQ952, SQ956, SQ958, SQ968D, SQ960, SQ962, SQ964, and SQ966.  Jakarta (CGK) to Singapore (SIN): SQ953, SQ955, SQ957, SQ959, SQ951D, SQ961, SQ963, SQ965, and SQ967.

In its latest advisory, Singapore Airlines said the situation remains fluid and more flights between Singapore and Indonesia could face delays or cancellations as ash clouds from Mount Anak Krakatau continue to drift across regional flight corridors.

The airline has advised affected passengers to check their flight status on its official website, ensure their contact details are updated to receive timely notifications, and use the online assistance form for rebooking or refund options.

Customers who made their bookings through travel agencies have been asked to contact their respective agents directly for assistance.

Mount Anak Krakatau, which emerged in the 1920s from the submerged caldera created by the catastrophic 1883 Krakatoa eruption, began its latest eruptive phase late Friday.

The state meteorological agency BMKG recorded lava fountains and shockwaves heard hundreds of kilometres away, accompanied by massive ash columns drifting over Banten province, Java, and Sumatra.

Despite the intensity of the ash plumes and seismic activity, national disaster mitigation authorities confirmed that the current eruption poses no immediate tsunami threat to coastal populations. (ANI)