Flights Delayed, Pollution Fears Spike: How Ethiopia’s volcano eruption is disrupting parts of India

Ethiopia’s Volcano Eruption News: A rare volcanic eruption in Ethiopia — the first in nearly 10,000 years — is now being felt thousands of kilometres away, with ash clouds drifting over parts of India, disrupting major international flights and raising concerns over pollution levels in the northern region.

The Hayli Gubbi volcano, located in Ethiopia’s Afar region, erupted on Sunday, sending ash plumes as high as 14 km (45,000 ft) into the atmosphere. The massive cloud travelled across the Red Sea toward Yemen and Oman before entering Indian airspace late Monday.

Ethiopia’s Volcano Eruption: Flight operations hit across India

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Authorities issued an aviation alert after the ash plume, travelling at nearly 130 kmph, entered Gujarat and moved over Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab. At Delhi Airport, several international flights bound for Hong Kong, Dubai, Jeddah, Helsinki, Kabul and Frankfurt were delayed as airlines rerouted aircraft to avoid ash-affected corridors.

Air India cancelled 11 flights, including long-haul routes like Delhi–New York, and said its teams were assisting passengers with updates and hotel arrangements. Akasa Air suspended services to Jeddah, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi for November 24–25, while IndiGo adjusted multiple routes and issued an advisory assuring passengers it was monitoring ash movement closely.

SpiceJet also warned travellers of potential disruptions on Middle East routes, stating that safety teams were tracking the ash cloud’s path in coordination with authorities.

Also Read: Delhi AQI slightly improves but remains ‘very poor’, Noida hits ‘severe’ crosses 415 mark — Check key updates inside

DGCA issues urgent advisory

• India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, directed all airlines to:
• Avoid volcanic ash-affected areas and altitudes
• Adjust routing, fuel planning and flight levels
• Immediately report any ash encounters, including engine anomalies or cabin smoke/odour
• Inspect runways and aprons if ashfall affects airport operations
• Volcanic ash can severely damage aircraft engines, pit cockpit windows and impair visibility — making caution essential.

Where the ash is moving

According to IMD and global plume models, the ash cloud has passed over:

• Yemen
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Gujarat
• Rajasthan
• Delhi-NCR
• Punjab & Haryana

Meteorologists say the plume will exit India by 7:30 pm on Tuesday, moving toward China.

Also Read: Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet issue travel advisories as Hayli Gubbi ash clouds affect air travel

Will pollution worsen?

While the ash created a thin, hazy layer over parts of Delhi and Haryana, the IMD said the high altitude — between 25,000 and 45,000 feet — means ground-level pollution is unlikely to worsen significantly.

Delhi’s air, however, was already in crisis.

At 1 pm, the city’s average AQI remained in the ‘very poor’ category, with:

• Anand Vihar: 396
• Wazirpur: 394
• ITO: 375
• Punjabi Bagh: 385

Experts say the ash plume may alter the appearance of the sky, making it darker and hazier, but major health impacts are unlikely unless particles descend.

A historic eruption

The Hayli Gubbi eruption — dormant for over 10,000–12,000 years — has shocked geologists. Classified as a shield volcano, it released massive volumes of ash and sulphur dioxide, prompting aviation alerts across multiple countries.