The weekend eruption of Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano has sent a drifting ash cloud across the Arabian Sea, forcing airlines to cancel or adjust flights linking India and the Gulf. The volcano, quiet for around 12,000 years, sent ash up to 15 kilometres high after it blew on Saturday, and shifting winds carried the plume over western India by Monday.
The thick drift has moved across flight paths used for services to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and other hubs. Akasa Air, IndiGo and SpiceJet have cancelled dozens of flights in response. Akasa Air confirmed that all its flights to Jeddah, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi on 24 and 25 November were cancelled “due to volcanic ash in the airspace”. IndiGo diverted a Kannur to Abu Dhabi service and told passengers more changes were possible.
Air India and Vistara are keeping most flights running, although delays have been reported as crews track the cloud’s movement. Airlines operating long-haul routes out of Australia, including Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Emirates, have so far avoided cancellations, though several have adjusted flight levels as a precaution. A Qantas spokesman said the airline was “working closely with air traffic control and meteorological teams to ensure safety”.
Travellers on disrupted services are being offered rebookings or refunds, with wider impacts expected for Australians heading home from Europe or travelling to destinations such as the Maldives and Seychelles, which depend on Gulf connections.
India’s aviation regulator has instructed airlines to steer clear of the affected airspace, and airports in Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad have increased runway inspections as a precaution. Meteorologists expect the ash to thin out by Wednesday as it shifts further northeast.
For now, anyone flying through Middle Eastern hubs from Australia has been urged to check with their airline before leaving for the airport.
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