Travel chaos hits Changi and Jakarta airports as volcanic ash grounds flights between the two hubs

Conflicting airline notices meant some travellers turned up at Changi Airport to find out that their flights were grounded, while passengers in Indonesia found themselves turned away after clearing immigration.

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06 Sep 2026 05:59PM (Updated: 06 Sep 2026 06:13PM)

SINGAPORE/JAKARTA: Seven months pregnant and heading home to Indonesia to give birth, Ms Catrine Carina, 31, was preparing to board a flight from Changi Airport on Sunday (Sep 6) when she first heard that her plane was grounded.

Due to travel with her husband Weng Ming Xing, she had heard that flights were affected, but initially did not realise that theirs would be one of at least 19 Singapore Airlines (SIA) services cancelled due to the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau about 180km away from Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta airport.

The Indonesian airport is the country's main hub for international and domestic flights. The suspension was initially in place until 5.30am in Jakarta (6.30am Singapore time), but was repeatedly extended.

Based on flight data from 1.30am to 1.30pm on Sunday, 301 flights were affected by cancellations, delays, diversions to other airports and other operational disruptions, according to the airport. Of these, 233 were domestic flights, 58 were international flights and 10 were cargo flights.

Operations are now slated to resume at 6.30pm Singapore time.

The cancellation has thrown a spanner in the works of Ms Carina's plans. She had intended to stay in Indonesia until next year after giving birth, while Mr Weng, 29, will fly back to Singapore after one week.

But without any certainty of a resumption of travel due to the volcanic ash, the couple’s plans hang in limbo for now.

Near an SIA assistance counter in Terminal 2, Ms Carina told CNA that she may need to get a new fit-to-fly medical note, depending on when the rescheduled flight departs.

Fit-to-fly notes for pregnant women usually need to be issued within seven to 10 days of departure.

“We were still thinking, a two-hour flight should be fine for me, suddenly this thing happened,” said Ms Carina.

Asked why they went to the airport despite news of the eruption, Mr Weng, who works as a chef, said they checked the SIA website and there was no indication that the flight would be cancelled.

He later realised the airline had sent them an SMS, but they missed it in their hurry to leave for the airport.

Several other travellers also told CNA they did not receive any information from the airline, or were wrongly assured by the SIA app.

Ms Tina Seng, 47, said she received a message from Scoot that said her flight was cancelled.

However, she did not know if it was a legitimate message because she had booked through SIA and the booking reference number in Scoot’s message was different from the one provided by SIA.

She checked the flight status on the SIA app, which said “confirmed”, so she headed to the airport with her husband and two daughters.

The family was going to Jakarta for the September holidays to visit Ms Seng’s family who live there.

SIA will help them to rebook their flights, but Ms Seng, who works in sales, is also concerned about whether they will get stuck in Jakarta if the situation worsens after they fly over.

“It will become another issue for us,” she said, given that school reopens on Sep 14. “We’re still thinking whether to continue, because we cannot predict what’s going to happen.”

A Singaporean traveller who wanted to be known as Mr Ahmad said he was heading to Jakarta for a holiday, with his wife, children and in-laws set to join him on Tuesday.

Mr Ahmad, 37, said the family did not have any special plans in Jakarta apart from spending time together during the September holidays and before he starts his new job.

He had heard about the eruption affecting flights, but went to the airport because Singapore Airlines had not informed him that his flight had been cancelled.

The airline’s representatives at the airport told him that he could make a reimbursement claim for his transport to the airport as long as he kept the receipt.

SITUATION IN JAKARTA

Over at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tanzanian businessman Muhammad Akbar, 55, made it all the way to the gate before he found out his flight to Bangkok at 9.30am was cancelled.

“I was given my boarding pass. I have already passed immigration. I was already at my gate – then they told us our flight was cancelled and we were asked to go out again,” he said.

He said he had not received clarification on what was going on, or information on what to do.

“I understand there is a volcanic eruption but we need solutions,” he said.

Mr Akbar was going to Bangkok for a business trip, and will have to adjust his hotel, car and airport pick-up arrangements.

“But I can’t do that without any certainty,” he said.

Snaking queues formed at Soekarno-Hatta airport, as stranded passengers waited to reschedule cancelled flights, secure seats on alternative services or seek refunds.

Many were glued to their phones, including those who tried to call airline hotlines or reach their travel agents in search of alternatives.

Elsewhere in the terminal, those who had already spent hours waiting for resolution settled down wherever they could.

Some were slumped in chairs with weary faces, while others sat on the floor or leaned against their suitcases, watching departure screens and waiting for any indication of when they might finally be able to leave.

Ms Adria, a restaurant employee who works in the Dutch capital Amsterdam, described the situation as a “huge hassle”.

Her flight to Amsterdam in the early hours of Sunday night was cancelled, and she was transferred to an Emirates flight, but was unsure whether it would depart.

“Everything had already been arranged. I’ve had to call work and also call the person who was supposed to pick me up,” said the 46-year-old, who like most Indonesians goes by one name. 

Her ticket can be replaced, but she was told that a hotel stay would not be covered because the volcanic eruption is a natural disaster.

“It’s frustrating, especially if this goes on for a long time, because it becomes very difficult,” she said. Ms Adria stayed at a friend’s house on Saturday night, but said she may return to her hometown in Temanggung in Central Java if the situation drags on for any longer.

“I might reschedule and come back in a week or however long it takes for things to improve,” she said.

Another Indonesian who wanted to be known as Linda, 40, told CNA she went to the airport at 11am for a 1.30pm flight to Bali even though she knew the airport was closed, as she wanted to try her luck.

She works at a hospital in Denpasar.

“But with all the uncertainty, I eventually decided to ask for a refund instead,” she said.

She got her refund after queuing for two hours.

“It was a long wait, but I think it was worth it. Aside from the long queue, the staff was actually very helpful. Getting a refund gives me more flexibility to find another way back to Bali.”

She said she will now try to book a train to either Yogyakarta or Semarang in Central Java and see if she can get a flight to Bali from there.

“I think that’s better than staying here and waiting when there’s no certainty about when the airport will reopen.”