Jakarta airport shuts down: Flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha disrupted
The disruption comes as Indonesia grapples with a rapidly changing volcanic-ash situation that has already affected thousands of flights nationwide
07 September, 2026
TT
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Air connectivity between the Gulf and Indonesia has been disrupted after volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau forced the closure of Jakarta’s main international airport, triggering cancellations and delays by major Gulf carriers and creating uncertainty for passengers travelling between the two regions.
The disruption comes as Indonesia grapples with a rapidly changing volcanic-ash situation that has already affected thousands of flights nationwide. According to the latest Reuters report, seven Indonesian airports remained closed on Monday, including two serving Jakarta, while more than 2,300 flights had been delayed, diverted or cancelled, affecting more than 270,000 passengers.
Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was scheduled to remain closed until at least 6 p.m. local time on September 7, with authorities continuing to monitor the movement of volcanic ash. Reuters reported that ash columns had reached as high as 50,000 feet (15,000 metres) in parts of the region, creating a significant aviation risk because volcanic ash can damage aircraft engines.
The disruption has now reached the Gulf’s major aviation hubs, with airlines operating through Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha issuing specific operational notices for Jakarta services.
Emirates cancels eight Dubai-Jakarta services
Emirates travel updates have issued the most detailed cancellation notice among the Gulf carriers reviewed.
The airline said the temporary closure of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport because of volcanic ash had resulted in the cancellation of the following Dubai-Jakarta services:
- EK356 — Dubai to Jakarta — September 6 — cancelled
- EK358 — Dubai to Jakarta — September 6 — cancelled
- EK359 — Jakarta to Dubai — September 6 — cancelled
- EK357 — Jakarta to Dubai — September 6 — cancelled
- EK356 — Dubai to Jakarta — September 7 — cancelled
- EK357 — Jakarta to Dubai — September 7 — cancelled
- EK358 — Dubai to Jakarta — September 7 — cancelled
- EK359 — Jakarta to Dubai — September 7 — cancelled
The airline’s latest notice, issued at 10:09 p.m. Dubai time on September 6, attributed the disruption directly to the temporary closure of Soekarno-Hatta because of volcanic ash.
Emirates has also issued a specific warning to passengers connecting through Dubai to Jakarta. Such passengers will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin until further notice.
The carrier is advising customers to check their flight status regularly, review the latest operational updates and monitor their email before travelling to the airport. Passengers whose flights have been cancelled are being directed to their travel agencies for rebooking, or to Emirates directly if they booked with the airline.
Customers are also being asked to ensure their contact details are current so the airline can communicate further changes. Emirates said it continues to monitor the situation closely.
The scale of the Emirates disruption is significant because Dubai is one of the world’s largest international connecting hubs. The impact therefore extends beyond passengers originating in the UAE to travellers connecting through Dubai from other markets.
Etihad cancels one service and delays Jakarta flights
Etihad’s flight-status and travel updates show a more mixed pattern of disruption.
Etihad said EY474 from Abu Dhabi to Jakarta on September 5 was initially delayed and subsequently cancelled because of the Jakarta airport closure caused by the Krakatau eruption.
The corresponding return service, EY475 from Jakarta to Abu Dhabi on September 6, was also delayed.
The airline subsequently issued another update covering September 6 and 7. It said:
- EY472 — Abu Dhabi to Jakarta — September 6 — delayed
- EY473 — Jakarta to Abu Dhabi — September 7 — delayed
Etihad attributed the disruption to the closure of Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta airport following the volcanic eruption.
The airline is advising passengers booked on the affected flights to ensure their contact details are up to date so they can receive SMS or email notifications concerning changes to their journey. Etihad is also telling passengers to check their individual flight status before travelling.
The distinction is important: Etihad has not announced a blanket cancellation of its Abu Dhabi-Jakarta operation. Its current advisory records a cancellation affecting EY474, while the subsequent EY475, EY472 and EY473 services have been reported as delayed.
Qatar Airways warns of cancellations and schedule changes
Qatar Airways travel alerts have also issued a Jakarta-specific advisory.
In an update dated September 6, Qatar Airways said that because of volcanic activity and the resulting operational restrictions in Jakarta, some of its flights may be delayed, rescheduled or cancelled.
The airline identified the following affected services:
- September 6: QR956, QR957, QR958 and QR959
- September 7: QR954 and QR955
Qatar Airways is advising passengers to check the latest flight status before travelling to the airport. The airline apologised for the disruption and said further operational changes could occur.
The wording of Qatar Airways’ advisory is significant. Unlike Emirates’ notice, which explicitly lists eight cancelled services, Qatar Airways describes its affected Jakarta flights as potentially subject to delay, rescheduling or cancellation. Therefore, it would be inaccurate to describe all six Qatar Airways services as definitively cancelled without individual flight-status confirmation.
The wider Indonesian aviation disruption
The Gulf carriers’ operational decisions follow a much broader shutdown inside Indonesia.
Reuters reported on September 6 that eight airports had initially suspended operations, with 964 flights affected at Soekarno-Hatta alone. Across the eight airports, more than 1,500 flights and 170,000 passengers had been affected at that stage.
By Monday, the disruption had expanded further. Reuters reported that more than 2,300 flights had been delayed, diverted or cancelled and more than 270,000 passengers affected. Seven airports remained closed, while one airport in South Sumatra had reopened.
The principal concern for airlines is the presence of volcanic ash in aircraft operating areas. Reuters reported that ash had reached altitudes of up to 50,000 feet, while volcano expert Surono warned that the sulphur- and silica-laden ash being moved by windy and dry conditions could pose a risk to aircraft engines.
Indonesia’s transport authorities have also acknowledged that the timetable for restoring normal operations remains uncertain. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said authorities could not yet determine when the disruption would end because weather conditions were changing dynamically.
Airlines face an uncertain operating environment
The immediate challenge for Gulf carriers is therefore not simply the closure of one airport, but the uncertainty surrounding the movement of the ash cloud and the timing of the airport’s reopening.
Airlines must assess whether aircraft can safely approach and depart Jakarta, whether the surrounding airspace is clear and whether previously scheduled aircraft and crews can be repositioned. This creates the possibility of a knock-on effect extending beyond individual cancelled flights.
For Gulf passengers, the situation is particularly important because Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha function as major connecting hubs linking Indonesia with Europe, North America, Africa and other parts of the Middle East.
A cancellation of a Jakarta service can therefore disrupt passengers who may have begun their journey in another country but are connecting through a Gulf hub.
The airlines’ advisories also underline the operational nature of the disruption. The cancellations and delays are being driven by volcanic ash and airport restrictions rather than a commercial decision to withdraw from the Indonesian market.
What passengers should know
For passengers travelling from the GCC to Jakarta, the airlines’ current instructions are broadly consistent: do not rely on an earlier flight confirmation alone.
Emirates is telling passengers to check their flight status, monitor airline communications and avoid travelling to the airport without confirmation. Passengers whose flights have been cancelled should contact their travel agency or Emirates for rebooking. Connecting passengers travelling through Dubai to Jakarta are currently not being accepted for travel at their point of origin until further notice.
Etihad is similarly advising passengers on affected services to check their individual flight status and keep their contact information updated so the airline can issue changes by SMS or email.
Qatar Airways is warning that its identified Jakarta flights may be delayed, rescheduled or cancelled and is advising passengers to verify their latest flight status before travelling.
With the volcanic-ash situation continuing to evolve, airlines and passengers face the same immediate challenge: uncertainty over when Jakarta’s airport and surrounding airspace will return to normal.
For travellers between the Gulf and Indonesia, the safest approach remains to check directly with the operating airline before heading to the airport and to remain alert for further schedule changes as authorities continue monitoring the volcanic ash.
