Indian carriers Air India and Akasa Air have cancelled several flights following the eruption of Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano, which sent ash plumes soaring up to 14 km into the sky.
Air India reported 11 flight cancellations on Monday and Tuesday to conduct safety inspections on aircraft that had flown near affected areas, following a directive from India’s Civil Aviation Ministry. Smaller airline Akasa Air suspended flights to Middle Eastern destinations, including Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi, over the same period.
The Ministry confirmed that only a few flights were rerouted as a precaution, and the Airports Authority of India issued notices to all impacted aircraft.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the ash cloud is drifting towards China and is expected to clear Indian airspace by 1400 GMT Tuesday. The plume has already crossed Yemen and Oman, covering parts of Pakistan and northern India, as per Flightradar24 tracking.
This eruption marks the first recorded activity of the Hayli Gubbi volcano, raising safety concerns for regional air travel.
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Air India & Akasa Air Cancel Flights Amid Ethiopian Volcano Ash Plume
Air India & Akasa Air cancel flights after Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano erupts. Ash cloud affects India, Pakistan, and Middle East flights.
