Multiple flights were cancelled on Tuesday and several others delayed as ash plumes from the long-dormant Hayli Gubbi volcano in northern Ethiopia, which has erupted for the first time in more than 12,000 years, drifted into the Indian airspace.
The ash cloud drifted northeast at 100-120 km per hour (kmph) and entered India on Monday evening.
IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India, and Akasa Air have announced domestic and international flight diversions as well cancellations.
Air India said on Tuesday that it has cancelled multiple flights over the past two days as it was carrying out precautionary checks on aircraft that flew over regions potentially affected by volcanic ash from Ethiopia.
What did the airline say?
The airline said it cancelled these flights as it was carrying out precautionary checks on those aircraft which had flown over certain geographical locations after the Hayli Gubbi volcanic eruption. The airline said its ground teams across the network are keeping passengers updated and providing immediate assistance, including hotel accommodation. It noted that it is making “every effort to arrange alternative travel at the earliest”, adding that the safety of its passengers and crew members remains its highest priority.
IndiGo cancelled around half a dozen flights and diverted several others. The airline also suspended some services to West Asia, while Dutch carrier KLM cancelled its Amsterdam-Delhi flight due to the volcanic ash plume. An IndiGo flight from Kannur to Abu Dhabi was also diverted to Ahmedabad on Monday, while a Kannur-Abu Dhabi flight 6E1433 was diverted to Ahmedabad.
Alaska cancelled flights to destinations in western Asia
Akasa Air is also said to have cancelled flights to West Asian destinations, like Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi on November 24 and 25. On Tuesday, the civil aviation ministry (MoCA) said the government is closely monitoring the situation and there is no cause for concern at the moment. “Following the November 23 volcanic eruption in Ethiopia and the eastward movement of the ash cloud, MoCA — along with ATC (air traffic control), IMD (Met department), airlines and international aviation agencies — is ensuring seamless coordination,” it said.
“Operations across India remain smooth, with only a few flights rerouted or descended as a precaution. There is no cause for concern at this moment. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide timely updates to ensure passenger safety,” MoCA said on X.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has also issued the necessary notice to airmen (NOTAM) and all affected flights have been kept informed, the ministry noted. The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region erupted on Sunday morning, coating nearby villages in ash.
After the eruption, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday directed airlines to adjust flight planning and fuel intake and to “strictly” avoid ash-affected regions and altitudes. In its directive, the aviation regulator had said airlines must ensure that flight crew and aircraft engineers follow the prescribed procedures for operations in and around volcanic ash.
The IMD said on Tuesday that the ash clouds are drifting towards China. Forecast models indicated ash influence over Gujarat, Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana on Tuesday, it added.
