Ethiopian volcano eruption disrupts air traffic over western India: what travelers need to know

A rare volcanic eruption in northern Ethiopia has sent a high-altitude ash cloud sweeping across Asia and briefly thrown flight schedules in western India into disarray.

The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region erupted on November 23 after roughly 10–12,000 years of dormancy, blasting ash plumes up to around 14 km into the atmosphere. Carried by strong upper-level winds, the ash travelled over the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, passing Yemen and Oman before curving towards the Indian subcontinent.

How western India was hit

By late Monday, the ash cloud had entered Indian airspace over Gujarat and then spread across parts of Rajasthan and northwest Maharashtra, prompting aviation warnings and route changes.

Key impacts on western India:

Ash corridor over Gujarat and Maharashtra
Forecasts showed the ash mass entering from the west side over Gujarat and drifting towards Rajasthan and northwest Maharashtra, including busy routes linked to Mumbai.

Rerouted and cancelled flights

Several west-bound and Middle East–bound flights were rerouted to avoid contaminated airspace.

Airlines including Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air and some international carriers cancelled or delayed services as a precaution.

At least a couple of dozen flights using western India air corridors were either rerouted at cruise altitude or taken off the schedule entirely over 24–25 November.


“Volcano checks” on aircraft
Jets that had potentially flown through the affected upper-air routes underwent emergency inspections in India, including aircraft operating from western hubs. The DGCA advised airlines to avoid specific routes and altitudes flagged by international Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres.

Despite the disruption, India’s civil aviation authorities have repeatedly stressed that the overall impact on the network has been limited, with only a fraction of total traffic affected.

Is it still affecting flights now?

The short answer: no, not over India – at least for now.

According to the India Meteorological Department, satellite imagery showed that the Ethiopian ash plume completely exited Indian airspace by the evening of November 25, drifting further east toward China.

What this really means is:

The immediate hazard to flights over western and northern India has passed.

Airlines may still be working through backlogs, repositioning aircraft, and clearing stranded passengers, so some residual delays and schedule changes can continue for a day or two even after the sky has technically “cleared.”


Why volcanic ash is such a big deal for aviation

Volcanic ash isn’t like normal dust or smoke. It’s full of microscopic glassy particles that can:

Melt inside jet engines and clog them, risking power loss or shutdown mid-air

Sandblast windscreens and sensors

Interfere with navigation and reduce visibility at cruise altitude

That’s why the DGCA and global aviation agencies immediately told airlines to avoid all ash-affected levels and routes once the Hayli Gubbi plume was detected near India and western air corridors.

If you’re travelling via western India, what should you do?

If you have flights touching Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Goa, or west-bound international routes (Gulf, Europe, Africa), here’s how to handle it:

1. Check your flight status repeatedly

Use the airline app / website rather than generic trackers.

Some flights are being retimed rather than outright cancelled.


2. Expect altered routings, not just cancellations

Your flight might take a longer path to skirt any residual restricted zones, which can mean slightly longer flight times and knock-on delays.


3. Build buffer time for connections

If you’re connecting through Mumbai or another western hub on separate tickets, assume possible delay and avoid tight layovers for the next couple of days while airlines normalize operations.


4. Keep documents and essentials in cabin baggage

In case of overnight disruption, it’s much easier if your medicines, chargers, and one change of clothes are with you, not in check-in. (A lot of the current horror stories from stranded passengers are basically this issue.)


5. Watch airline social channels

Many carriers are posting real-time updates and rebooking options on X and Instagram for this specific “volcanic ash” disruption window.