Ministry of Transport Urges KAI to Prepare for Passenger Surges During Flight Disruptions
The Ministry of Transport (Kemenhub) is encouraging PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) to enhance its service capacity to anticipate surges in passengers when flights are disrupted due to force majeure conditions, including volcanic eruptions.
Minister of Transport Dudy Purwagandhi stated that Indonesia needs to possess alternative modes of transport for when airport operations must be suspended. He noted that public mobility and logistics distribution must continue to function even when flights face disruptions.
“What have we learned from previous events? The most important thing is that when our airports are closed, we must have other alternatives,” Dudy told reporters in Jakarta on Thursday (10/09/2026).
Dudy remarked that the need for alternative transport is crucial, particularly as Indonesia has many active volcanoes that can disrupt flight operations at any time. He added that the transport network needs to have alternative routes available when one path is compromised.
“Java has many volcanoes; we must have alternatives—whether via the northern, central, or southern routes—so that when one is non-functional, others can still operate,” said Dudy.
In conditions where flights are disrupted, Dudy believes railways can serve as an alternative to accommodate public travel needs. He stated that the Ministry of Transport has prepared options to divert air travel to rail connections.
“We must adapt immediately to occurring conditions. We are offering, if travel is absolutely essential, that we have prepared flight diversions connected to trains,” he said.
However, previous experiences with flight disruptions showed that railway capacity also needs strengthening. Dudy noted that train services previously experienced surges in demand that reached full capacity.
“Previously, the trains were full. Increasing service means we must adjust the headway at crossings so that we can increase the frequency,” said Dudly.
Director General of Railways Allan Tandiono stated that KAI needs to increase investment to expand service capacity. He noted that adding rolling stock is vital so that railways are not merely an alternative on paper, but are truly capable of handling passenger surges when flights are disrupted.
“KAI must be bold in investing in more trains, more quickly,” said Allan.
According to Allan, increasing the number of locomotives and train sets would provide greater flexibility for operators to provide additional trips during periods of high demand.
“If there were more locomotives, more trains could be deployed, allowing for more additional schedules,” he added.
In addition to increasing rolling stock, Allan assessed that capacity increases must be supported by infrastructure improvements, including signalling systems. With better track capacity and signalling systems, the frequency of train journeys can be increased.
“Add more rolling stock and improve the signals so that frequency can be increased,” Allan concluded.