Seven international flights were cancelled and 12 others delayed on Tuesday as ash from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano affected Indian airspace. The plume, which first entered Gujarat on Monday and spread across Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR, Haryana, and Punjab, disrupted both incoming and outgoing flights.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the ash is expected to clear by 7:30 pm Tuesday, as it drifts toward China. The Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) reported that ash rose up to 14 km and was carried across the Red Sea to Yemen and Oman before reaching India.
Airlines including IndiGo, Akasa Air, and KLM adjusted operations in response, while the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued advisories for safe routing. Delhi experienced a layer of haze, temporarily worsening air quality, as high-altitude winds transported the plume across the region.