Several flights were cancelled, and Indian airlines and airports were issued an advisory to deal with possible disruptions due to the ash plume from the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia today. The ash cloud is moving eastward and is forecast to reach northern India soon.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted on Sunday for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, sending thick ash plumes across the Red Sea toward Yemen and Oman. The cloud has now stretched over the northern Arabian Sea. The plumes are already reaching parts of Rajasthan and Haryana, and the dense, concentrated parts of the ash cloud are likely to move over Delhi in a few hours, according to a weather forecast.
The plumes could also further plummet the air quality in Delhi, its neighbouring areas and Uttar Pradesh. However, there are low chances of any ash fall as the plumes are several thousand feet high in the atmosphere. Akasa Air, IndiGo and KLM are among the airlines that cancelled some flights due to the volcanic ash issue.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has instructed airlines to avoid ash-affected areas and adjust their flight planning, routing, and fuel considerations based on the latest advisories. Airlines have also been asked to immediately report any suspected ash encounter, including engine performance anomalies or cabin smoke or odour.
If volcanic ash affects airport operations, then the operator concerned must immediately inspect runways, taxiways, and aprons, the DGCA said. Operators have been asked to continuously monitor the situation related to the volcanic ash cloud and stay updated through satellite imagery and meteorological data.
Akasa Air said its flights to and from Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi scheduled for November 24 and 25 have been cancelled due to the ash plume. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines cancelled its Amsterdam-Delhi service (KL 871) and the return Delhi-Amsterdam flight (KL 872) due to the ash cloud.
