Volcanic ash plumes: Air India cancels flights; conducts inspection of aircraft

November 25, 2025 at 05:05 AM•2 min read•thehindu.com

Volcanic Ash Chaos: Why Air India Grounded Flights & Inspected Aircraft

Key Points

1Air India grounds 11+ flights, initiates aircraft inspections following volcanic ash threat.
2Ash plumes from Ethiopia's Hayli Gubbi volcano drift towards western India, disrupting key routes.
3India's DGCA issues urgent directives for airlines to avoid ash zones and report encounters.
4Akasa Air cancels Middle East routes; other carriers monitor evolving airspace safety.

Air India has initiated significant flight cancellations and precautionary aircraft inspections following the eruption of the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia. Ash clouds from the active volcano are drifting towards western parts of India, prompting immediate safety measures across the civil aviation sector. The airline confirmed the cancellation of at least 11 flights since Monday, November 24, 2025, with further cancellations on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, impacting both domestic and international routes.

Specific cancellations include key domestic connections such as Chennai-Mumbai, Hyderabad-Delhi, and Mumbai-Kolkata, alongside international flights like Newark-Delhi, New York (JFK)-Delhi, Dubai-Hyderabad, and Doha-Mumbai. Air India is conducting thorough checks on aircraft that have flown over areas potentially affected by the ash plumes. Akasa Air also confirmed the cancellation of scheduled flights to Middle East destinations including Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi, highlighting the broader impact on Indian carriers operating international routes.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts ash influence over Gujarat, Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana, although it expects the clouds to move away from India by late Tuesday. In response, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a comprehensive advisory, instructing airlines to strictly avoid published volcanic ash affected areas and flight levels. The DGCA mandates adjustments to flight planning, routing, and fuel considerations based on the latest advisories, and requires immediate reporting of any suspected ash encounters, including engine performance anomalies or cabin smoke/odour.

Furthermore, the DGCA's directive extends to airport operations, requiring immediate inspection of runways, taxiways, and aprons if volcanic ash affects these areas. Operations may face restrictions, and cleaning procedures must be completed before resuming movements. Air India's ground teams are actively updating passengers and providing assistance, including hotel accommodation, while other major Indian carriers like IndiGo, Air India Express, and SpiceJet continue to monitor the evolving situation closely.