India braces for impact on air travel as Ethiopian volcano spews ash

India is bracing for potential disruption to air travel with volcanic ash from Sunday’s (November 23, 2025) eruption of Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano forecasted to drift towards mainland India.

The DGCA has issued advisories urging airlines to strictly steer clear of affected altitudes and regions to ensure flight safety.

Airlines have also been advised to report any suspected impact of ash on engine performance anomalies or cabin smoke or odour.

Airports too have been told to inspect runways for contamination and suspended or restrict flight operations, if need be.

Large plumes of smoke continue to be visible over Ethiopia though the volcano eruption has stopped. According to volcanic ash advisory, clouds of ash have travelled over Yemen and Oman. Forecasts indicate that they could travel over north western and central parts of India under less than 12 hours.