Several flights from and to India have been diverted due to the ash plume from the Hayli Gubbi volcano eruption in Ethiopia. The Hayli Gubbi volcano, located in the Afar region of Ethiopia, erupted on Sunday morning. Ash plumes from the volcanic eruption spread across the Red Sea toward Yemen and Oman up to 14 km in the sky, causing disruption of flight operation in North West India.
Ash cloud moving towards North India ⚠️
A large ash plume can be seen stretching from #HayliGubbi Volcano region upto #Gujarat. The eruption has stopped ever since the eruption but this Ash plume has been sent up into the atmosphere which is moving at an speed of 100-120km/h… https://t.co/QHWDxHWstv pic.twitter.com/xccXhgleFd
— IndiaMetSky Weather (@indiametsky) November 24, 2025
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Which airlines have cancelled flights?
Akasa Air, IndiGo and KLM are among the airlines that cancelled some flights due to the ash plume issue on Monday. IndiGo cancelled some flights to the Middle East and Dutch carrier KLM cancelled its flight from Amsterdam to Delhi due to the volcanic ash plume issue. An IndiGo flight from Kannur to Abu Dhabi was diverted to Ahmedabad on Monday.
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What Akasa Air said
“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.
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What IndiGo said
Following the recent eruption of the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia, ash clouds are reported to be drifting towards parts of western India.
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. We will continue to monitor the developments round the clock and keep you informed of any updates to help minimise inconvenience.
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No impact on Air India flights
Following the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia, ash clouds have been observed to be moving towards western India. We are closely monitoring the situation and remain in constant touch with our operating crew. There is no major impact on Air India flights at this time. We will take all necessary steps under our precautionary plans to ensure the safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft, which remains our top priority.
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DGCA issues advisory to airlines and airports
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.
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.
Among others, 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 others.