Air India, Akasa, IndiGo cancel flights after Ethiopia volcano erupts

Indian airlines, including Air India and Akasa Air, on Tuesday said that they were cancelling some flights in the wake of the ash plumes from a volcanic eruption in Ethiopia disrupted operations.

In a post on X, Air India mentioned that a total of 11 flights were cancelled since Monday, when the ash plume was first seen entering the Indian airspace. It said, "The following Air India flights have been cancelled as we carry out precautionary checks on those aircraft which had flown over certain geographical locations after the Hayli Gubbi volcanic eruption. Our ground teams across the network are keeping passengers updated on their flight status and are providing immediate assistance, including hotel accommodation. We are making every effort to arrange alternative travel at the earliest."

List of cancelled Air India flights

On Tuesday, Air India called off four domestic services — AI 2822 (Chennai–Mumbai), AI 2466 (Hyderabad–Delhi), AI 2444 / 2445 (Mumbai–Hyderabad–Mumbai) and AI 2471 / 2472 (Mumbai–Kolkata–Mumbai).

A day earlier, the airline had cancelled seven international flights, among them AI 106 (Newark–Delhi), AI 102 (New York JFK–Delhi), AI 2204 (Dubai–Hyderabad) and AI 2290 (Doha–Mumbai).

Air India said it is conducting precautionary inspections on aircraft that recently operated over specific regions following the Hayli Gubbi volcanic eruption, news agency PTI reported.

Akasa Air, IndiGo cancel flights

Similarly, Akasa Air also said it had scrapped some scheduled flights in West Asia for destinations such as Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi scheduled during November 24-25.

Earlier on Monday, IndiGo also cancelled six of its flights, a Hindustan Times report said, adding that several other flights were diverted. According to an ANI report, KLM also cancelled some flight operations, with all airlines mandated to readjust their schedules and routes after authorities assessed the situation.

Hayli Gubbi volcanic eruption

A huge ash plume from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano, which has erupted for the first time in almost 12,000 years, reached India at about 10 pm on Monday, ANI reported, quoting IndiaMetSky Weather.

The ash plume was released into the atmosphere after an explosive eruption of the Hayli Gubbi volcano, situated in Ethiopia's Erta Ale Range, started at about 8:30 am on Sunday.

The large ash plume consists of volcanic ash, sulphur dioxide and small particles of glass and rock. Reports suggested that while the eruption has stopped now, a large ash plume moved towards India at a speed of 100–120 km/h and was travelling at altitudes between 15,000–25,000 feet up to 45,000 feet.

After the eruption, signs of volcanic ash were observed in parts of the Arabian Peninsula, prompting airlines to advise passengers flying through West Asia to exercise caution.

Reports indicated that the ash cloud will initially sweep into Gujarat before advancing towards Rajasthan, north-west Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab, and eventually moving into the Himalayan region.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday that the ash clouds are drifting towards China and are expected to clear Indian skies by around 7.30 pm.

According to the IMD, forecast models showed the ash could affect Gujarat, Delhi–NCR, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana during the day.

Issuing a detailed advisory on Monday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) instructed airlines to avoid designated volcanic-ash zones and affected flight levels, and to modify flight routes, planning and fuel requirements based on the most recent updates.

Airlines were told to immediately report any suspected encounter with ash, including unusual engine behaviour or signs of smoke or odour inside the cabin.

The DGCA added that if volcanic ash impacts airport operations, the concerned operator must inspect runways, taxiways and aprons without delay. Depending on the level of contamination, flight movements may be restricted until cleaning and safety checks are completed.