Volcanic Ash Alert Disrupts Flights: Air India Cancels Several Services; Akasa, IndiGo Impacted

Airlines operating in and out of India, including Air India, Akasa Air and IndiGo, cancelled multiple flights following a volcanic ash alert from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi eruption. Ash plumes from the volcano disrupted air routes over Western and Northern India, forcing airlines to initiate precautionary checks and adjust flight operations. 

Volcanic Ash Disrupts Flight Operations Across Airlines 

Air India issued a travel advisory on X (formerly Twitter), detailing cancellations made as a safety measure after several aircraft flew over ash-influenced regions. The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia erupted on November 23, 2025, sending ash clouds up to 14 km high. These plumes drifted across the Red Sea, Arabian Peninsula, and reached parts of India. 

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reacted by directing airlines to avoid affected airspaces, implement alternate routes, and perform safety inspections. Air India cancelled flights from key international hubs such as Newark, New York, Dubai, Doha, and Dammam, along with domestic services between cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Chennai. 

List of Cancelled Flights from November 24 and 25 

Air India announced that on November 24, 2025, cancellations included services such as AI 106 (Newark–Delhi), AI 102 (New York–Delhi), AI 2204 (Dubai–Hyderabad), and others. On November 25, flights like AI 2822 (Chennai–Mumbai) and AI 2471/2472 (Mumbai–Kolkata–Mumbai) were also grounded due to the continued risk from ash clouds. 

Airports have been instructed to inspect and clean runways, aprons, and taxiways if ash deposits are found, with operations temporarily restricted as needed. Ash detection over Gujarat, Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana was confirmed by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). 

Read More: Air India Plans Major Customer Experience Upgrade in 2026! 

Akasa Air and IndiGo Also Take Precautionary Steps 

Akasa Air cancelled scheduled flights to and from Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi for November 24 and 25. IndiGo reported operational impacts while monitoring the atmospheric developments in coordination with international aviation authorities. Both airlines emphasised that passenger safety is their primary concern. 

Conclusion 

The volcanic ash from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi eruption has resulted in altered flight schedules across various Indian and international airlines. As a precaution, several aircraft were grounded, and alternate routing was advised. The situation is expected to stabilise by the evening of November 25, 2025, as per IMD forecasts. 

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