India Cancels Flights After Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi Volcano Eruption

In response to potential interruptions caused by the ash plumes from Ethiopia's volcanic activity, aviation regulator DGCA issued an advisory to airlines and airports on Monday.

Due to the ash plumes on Monday, a number of airlines, including Akasa Air, IndiGo, and KLM, had to cancel several flights.

Flight operations are being affected by ash clouds from the recent eruption of Ethiopia's Hayli Gubbi volcano, and there are rumours that the clouds may possibly be moving towards western India.

In a detailed advisory, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) asked airlines to strictly avoid published volcanic ash affected areas and flight levels, adjust flight planning, routing and fuel considerations based on the latest advisories.

Also, airlines have been asked to immediately report any suspected ash encounter, including engine performance anomalies or cabin smoke/odour.

The DGCA noted that if volcanic ash affects airport operations, then the operator concerned must immediately inspect runways, taxiways and aprons.

Depending on the contamination, the operations may be restricted and cleaning procedures have to be completed before resuming movements, it added.

Operators have been asked to continuously monitor the situation related to the volcanic ash cloud and stay updated through satellite imagery and meteorological data, among other things.

"Following recent volcanic activity in Ethiopia and the resulting ash plume in the surrounding airspace, our flights to and from Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi scheduled for 24th and 25th November 2025 have been cancelled," Akasa Air said in a statement.

The airline also said its teams will continue to assess the situation in compliance with international aviation advisories and safety protocols and take necessary actions as required.

In a post on X, IndiGo said, "Following the recent eruption of the #HayliGubbi volcano in #Ethiopia, ash clouds are reported to be drifting towards parts of western India. We understand that such news may cause concern, and we want to reassure you that your safety remains our highest priority." "Our teams are closely tracking the situation in coordination with international aviation bodies. We are fully prepared with all necessary precautions to ensure safe and reliable operations," it said.

"Following the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia, ash clouds have been observed over certain geographical regions," Air India wrote in a post on X late on Monday. "We are keeping a close eye on the situation and communicating with our operations personnel at all times. Air India flights are currently unaffected significantly," it stated.