Hayli Gubbi ash over Indian skies to clear by evening; Air India cancels more flights today

India’s aviation network remained disrupted on Tuesday as high-altitude ash from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcanic eruption continued to affect key flight corridors, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the plume would clear Indian skies by around 7:30 pm.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said forecast models indicated ash influence over Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi-NCR, Haryana and Punjab through Tuesday, before the plume drifted further northeast towards China by evening. The advisory prompted airlines to remain cautious and adjust routes across several sectors.

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The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region erupted on Sunday after lying dormant for thousands of years, sending ash rising nearly 14 km (45,000 ft). Strong upper-level winds carried the plume across the Red Sea, swept it over Yemen and Oman, and then pushed it eastwards across the Arabian Sea into Indian flight paths.

The IMD said its Met Watch Offices in Mumbai, New Delhi and Kolkata issued ICAO-standard SIGMET warnings, flagging specific airspace and flight levels that airlines and airports were advised to avoid based on global Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) inputs.

Also Read: Airlines on alert as Ethiopian volcano ash drifts toward India

Air India cancels multiple flights for 25 November

Air India issued a fresh advisory on Tuesday, saying the airline was carrying out precautionary checks on aircraft that may have flown near affected zones. As a result, several services scheduled for today were cancelled.

Cancelled flights for 25 November:

AI 2822 – Chennai–Mumbai

AI 2466 – Hyderabad–Delhi

AI 2444 / 2445 – Mumbai–Hyderabad–Mumbai

AI 2471 / 2472 – Mumbai–Kolkata–Mumbai

“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to passengers due to this unforeseen situation beyond our control. The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority,” Air India said, adding that ground teams were assisting passengers with rebooking and accommodation where needed.

#ImportantAdvisory

The following Air India flights have been cancelled as we carry out precautionary checks on those aircraft which had flown over certain geographical locations after the Hayli Gubbi volcanic eruption.

Our ground teams across the network are keeping passengers…

— Air India (@airindia) November 25, 2025

Akasa and IndiGo also affected

Akasa Air cancelled all flights to and from Jeddah, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi for November 24 and 25, citing unsafe conditions arising from the ash plume. The airline offered full refunds or complimentary rebooking within seven days.

IndiGo diverted its Kannur–Abu Dhabi flight (6E1433) to Ahmedabad after the ash moved closer to its planned route. The airline said it was working with international aviation bodies to minimise passenger inconvenience.

Ash cloud moving out by evening

By Tuesday afternoon, much of the ash had shifted northeast, easing conditions over most Indian routes. The IMD said the plume, positioned well above 10 km altitude, was unlikely to worsen surface-level air quality in Indian cities and would continue clearing rapidly through the evening.