Several Indian airlines, including Air India and Akasa Air, cancelled many flights on Tuesday. They took this step after volcanic ash from Ethiopia drifted into Indian airspace and affected visibility. Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted on Sunday for the first time in recorded history. It sent ash as high as 14 km.
Ash Cloud Moves Across India
A thick ash cloud travelled over northwestern India on Monday night. It passed over Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi NCR and Punjab. It reduced visibility in several cities. IndiaMetSky Weather said the ash plume has started thinning over North India. It is now moving toward China.
Why Airlines Cancelled Flights
The ash plume rose high after the eruption. It moved across the Red Sea and then passed over Oman and Yemen. It later shifted east toward North India at a speed of 100–120 km/h.
The ash cloud reached India on Monday night. It reduced visibility and disrupted air traffic as it moved east. IMD said the cloud would clear Indian skies by 7:30 pm on Tuesday.
Widespread Flight Disruptions
Delhi’s IGI Airport saw many delays. Flights to Hong Kong, Dubai, Jeddah, Helsinki, Kabul and Frankfurt were delayed. PTI reported that at least seven international flights were cancelled. More than ten overseas flights were delayed.
Air India cancelled 13 flights on Monday and Tuesday. It wanted to carry out precautionary checks on aircraft that flew over affected regions.
Akasa Air cancelled flights to Jeddah, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi for two days.
IndiGo issued an advisory on Monday evening. It said its teams were monitoring the situation with international aviation bodies. SpiceJet issued a similar advisory. It warned that ash over parts of the Arabian Peninsula could affect aircraft on those routes.
DGCA Issues Advisory
The ash entered Indian airspace at 6:30 pm on Monday. It darkened the sky and forced airlines to divert or cancel flights.
As the ash cloud approached India, the DGCA issued an advisory. It asked airlines to avoid ash-affected areas. It also told them to review their routes, fuel planning and flight levels based on updated information.