Violent Eruption of Japan’s Sakurajima Volcano Disrupts Flights

Mount Sakurajima, a well-known active volcano in Japan, erupted repeatedly on May 15 and 16, launching ash clouds as high as 3,000 meters and leading to the cancellation of 25 flights at Kagoshima Airport.

These cancellations left many travelers stranded, while airlines struggled to accommodate a sharp increase in rebooking and refund demands.

Flight disruptions as ash fills the skies
The volcanic activity, which started early on May 15, released dense ash clouds that drifted toward Kagoshima Airport. As a result, operations were halted from 5 pm.

Several major airlines, such as Japan Airlines (JAL) and Skymark Airlines, were forced to cancel flights connecting Tokyo Haneda, Osaka Itami, and Amami airports. One of JAL’s aircraft had to change course mid-flight to steer clear of the ash.

ANA All Nippon Airways proactively called off some services scheduled for May 16. Meanwhile, airport authorities stated they would monitor runway conditions throughout the night and use sweeping machines if necessary to remove volcanic material.

Passengers Stranded
As planes were grounded, many passengers turned to buses heading to Kagoshima City, causing significant crowding at bus terminals.

Staff at the airport noted an unusually high number of people at help desks, with many tourists frantically searching for accommodation and alternative transportation.

“This level of chaos is something we usually only see during typhoon season,” said an airport employee. “But unlike typhoons, volcanic eruptions are unpredictable, so we couldn’t prepare in advance.”

Extended eruption sparks safety alerts
The third eruption, which began at 10:45 a.m. on May 15, was the strongest and lasted over 12 hours, with loud explosive sounds continuing into the night.

Officials from Kagoshima’s meteorological office cautioned that if the eruptions extended beyond 3 a.m. on May 16, significant ash could fall over the mainland area. They advised motorists to be especially careful.

It’s the first occurrence since November 2019 that Sakurajima has continuously emitted smoke for more than ten hours. The ash plume soared as high as 3,000 meters.