Ash cloud from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi eruption prompts Indian aviation regulator to cancel and reroute flights

On November 23, 2025, an eruption from a dormant volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region triggered a wave of flight cancellations, delays and reroutes across parts of India, including Delhi. The volcano, Hayli Gubbi, erupted for the first time in recorded history, releasing a large plume of ash and volcanic gases into the upper atmosphere. The airborne ash travelled over 4,000 kilometres, moving across the Red Sea, Yemen, Oman, and eventually reaching Indian airspace.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation regulatory body, issued an urgent advisory to all carriers instructing them to avoid the affected airspaces. Several airlines acted swiftly, grounding or rerouting flights, with Air India cancelling 11 flights and Akasa Air suspending select international routes. The high-altitude plume, travelling between 15,000 and 45,000 feet at speeds up to 120 kilometres per hour, carried fine ash, sulphur dioxide and tiny glass particles, all of which pose serious operational risks to aircraft.

What made the Hayli Gubbi ash plume a high-risk aviation event despite its distance

Although the Hayli Gubbi volcano is located in northeast Africa, the fallout of its eruption stretched far beyond Ethiopia. The event marked the first known eruption of this shield volcano, which had remained dormant for thousands of years. Volcanic ash clouds are notoriously hazardous for aviation because the fine, abrasive particles can severely damage jet engines, erode turbine blades, and obstruct essential sensors.

The ash also has the capacity to melt at high temperatures inside engines, causing it to solidify on internal components, which can result in engine stall or flameout. In addition, these clouds can degrade cabin air quality due to toxic gas exposure and impair visibility, all of which create severe safety risks for commercial airliners. The DGCA’s advisory emphasised strict avoidance of contaminated regions, reinforcing standard international flight safety protocols.

How Indian carriers responded to the DGCA’s emergency advisory

Following the directive, airlines initiated sweeping safety checks and operational changes. Air India proactively cancelled 11 scheduled services and initiated precautionary inspections on aircraft that had operated in the vicinity of the ash-affected air corridors. Akasa Air suspended operations on routes to Jeddah, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait.

IndiGo stated that it was closely monitoring the developments and had activated internal protocols to mitigate any safety concerns arising from the volcanic ash event. Meanwhile, aviation authorities at major hubs like Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai prepared for the possibility of further flight rescheduling.

While not every airport experienced ground-level ash fallout, the mere presence of ash in upper-atmosphere flight paths was sufficient to trigger widespread disruption. Meteorological agencies and airline dispatch teams collaborated closely to track the plume and avoid any unintentional passage through contaminated zones.

What science says about the volcanic ash cloud’s path to Indian airspace

Meteorological analysis indicated that the ash plume from the Hayli Gubbi eruption moved rapidly through the upper atmosphere, following jet-stream patterns eastward from Africa into the Arabian Peninsula and then across the Arabian Sea into northwest India. The India Meteorological Department confirmed that the ash cloud entered India through Gujarat and moved across Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi-NCR and Punjab.

Satellite imagery confirmed that the ash was confined to elevations between 8,000 and 14,000 metres and was moving at a rapid clip of 100 to 120 kilometres per hour. Though the high-altitude plume posed limited risk to ground-level air quality, it presented a major operational threat to aircraft cruising at typical flight levels. The situation illustrated how interconnected global weather systems can swiftly transport volcanic byproducts over vast distances, creating unexpected complications for distant aviation networks.

Why volcanic ash is one of the most serious airborne threats for aircraft safety

Jet engines are designed to operate under highly specific conditions of air intake, pressure and combustion. Volcanic ash, composed of fine rock, silica and glass fragments, severely disrupts these parameters. When ingested, the ash can melt in the engine’s high-temperature zones, then re-solidify on turbine blades, effectively choking the system.

Damage may not be immediately apparent. Even short-term exposure can lead to erosion of components, blocked fuel nozzles and reduced visibility for onboard sensors. Because many commercial flights operate at cruising altitudes where ash clouds linger, aviation regulators worldwide typically respond with maximum caution, as seen in the DGCA’s response.

How did the volcanic ash incident from Ethiopia affect Indian airports and airline passengers?

The consequences of the ash incursion extended beyond safety checks and flight cancellations. Passengers were left stranded or delayed as airlines rebooked or adjusted schedules to accommodate safety requirements. For ground operations teams, especially at airports in Delhi, Mumbai and northern India, the focus turned to assessing whether taxiways or runways had experienced any ash fallout.

Though reports suggested minimal ground deposition, airport authorities were instructed to conduct visual inspections and cleaning operations where necessary. The DGCA’s circular outlined specific procedures for checking engine anomalies and evaluating cabin conditions for any signs of volcanic particle contamination. The regulator also required airlines to submit incident reports if any ash-related deviations were observed during flight or post-flight checks.

How India’s DGCA and IMD worked with global agencies to track the volcanic ash in real time

India’s aviation and weather monitoring agencies coordinated actively with global volcanic ash advisory centres. Real-time satellite tracking, combined with data from the Toulouse VAAC and Flightradar24, allowed meteorologists and airline operations teams to follow the ash plume’s progress with high accuracy.

The India Meteorological Department clarified that the event was limited to high-altitude atmospheric layers and did not pose an imminent threat to urban air quality in Delhi or other metros. The DGCA reiterated its commitment to passenger safety while allowing for phased return to normal operations as the plume moved eastward into China.

What is the latest status of Indian flight operations as the volcanic ash cloud moves eastward?

As of Tuesday evening, meteorologists reported that the ash cloud had exited Indian airspace and moved toward China. Airlines have begun resuming normal flight schedules, subject to mandatory aircraft inspections. The DGCA continues to monitor the situation and has advised carriers to remain alert for any new updates from international volcano monitoring centres.

Although no direct damage has been reported so far, the aviation industry’s prompt response and regulatory vigilance have been credited with preventing more serious consequences. The Hayli Gubbi eruption may have occurred in Africa, but its ripple effects in India offered a stark lesson in global aviation interdependence.

What are the key takeaways from the volcanic ash disruption affecting Indian aviation?

• A dormant Ethiopian volcano named Hayli Gubbi erupted for the first time in recorded history on November 23, 2025, releasing a massive ash plume into the atmosphere.

• The volcanic ash cloud travelled over 4,000 kilometres from Ethiopia across the Red Sea, Oman, and Yemen, eventually entering Indian airspace at altitudes between 15,000 and 45,000 feet.

• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an urgent advisory directing airlines to avoid the ash-affected airspace, citing major safety risks to jet engines and sensors.

• Indian carriers including Air India, Akasa Air, and IndiGo responded by cancelling or rerouting several domestic and international flights as a precaution.

• The India Meteorological Department confirmed the ash plume was confined to the upper atmosphere and posed minimal risk to surface-level air quality in regions such as Delhi-NCR and Gujarat.

• Volcanic ash is highly abrasive and can melt inside jet engines, potentially leading to serious malfunctions such as engine stall, sensor failure, and cabin air contamination.

• Ground-level inspections were ordered at airports to check runways, taxiways, and aircraft systems for signs of ash exposure, with aircraft subjected to post-flight inspections.

• The DGCA required carriers to report any engine anomalies or cabin air quality issues encountered during operations through the affected corridor.

• Meteorological agencies in India collaborated with international volcanic ash advisory centres to track the real-time movement of the ash plume across Indian skies.

• By November 25, 2025, the ash cloud had exited Indian airspace and moved toward China, allowing airlines to begin resuming normal operations subject to safety checks.

• The incident highlighted the global interconnectedness of aviation risk and the importance of coordinated response between airlines, regulators, and meteorological authorities.