UAE Airports Face Major Flight Disruptions Due to Volcanic Ash from Mount Anak Krakatau

Flights operating to and from the UAE are experiencing significant disruptions, with numerous services at Dubai International Airport and Zayed International Airport facing delays or cancellations. This disruption stems from ongoing volcanic ash emissions caused by the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau, which continues to impact air travel across Indonesia and neighboring regions.

Routes connecting the UAE and Jakarta have been heavily impacted, leading airlines such as Emirates airline and Etihad Airways to cancel several services, even as Indonesian aviation authorities begin the process of reopening regional airports. Mount Anak Krakatau has experienced multiple eruptions since September 4, originating in the Sunda Strait located between Java and Sumatra.

The volcanic activity sent ash plumes across Jakarta and surrounding areas, compelling authorities to temporarily shut down eight airports, including Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. These closures disrupted nearly 3,000 flights and affected over 340,000 passengers. Although Indonesian officials reopened Soekarno-Hatta and several other facilities after confirming safe operating conditions, two airports remain closed, prompting airlines to continually adjust schedules.

Emirates cancelled three Jakarta-bound services: EK356 from Dubai to Jakarta, alongside EK357 and EK359 from Jakarta to Dubai. Similarly, Etihad cancelled flight EY475 between Abu Dhabi and Jakarta, with other regional services also impacted. Passengers are strongly advised to check real-time flight statuses with their respective airlines prior to heading to the airport.

At Zayed International Airport, multiple arrivals and departures are running behind schedule. Affected carriers include Air Dubai Abu Dhabi, Etihad, Saudia, and Air India Express, with specific delays noted across destinations such as Trivandrum, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Sialkot, Multan, Bahrain, Kathmandu, Yerevan, Tbilisi, Baku, Almaty, Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar, Boston, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Jakarta, Riyadh, Kabul, and Bangkok. Etihad flight EY475 to and from Jakarta remains officially cancelled.

Similarly, Dubai International Airport is grappling with widespread delays and select cancellations. Affected carriers include flydubai, Emirates, Qeshm Air, Kenya Airways, and SpiceJet, with delayed inbound and outbound services linked to cities such as Makhachkala, Almaty, Minsk, Colombo, Samara, Naples, Mumbai, Beijing, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Cairo, London Heathrow, Warsaw, Rome, Geneva, Bologna, Lyon, Tehran, Qeshm, Nairobi, Amritsar, Moscow, and Kirkuk. Emirates flights EK357, EK359, and EK356 involving Jakarta have also been officially cancelled due to the volcanic ash crisis.