An explosive eruption from a volcano in Ethiopia, dormant for an estimated 12,000 years, has sent an ash cloud drifting thousands of kilometres eastward, causing significant disruption to air travel across the Middle East and India.
The event involves the Hayli Gubbi shield volcano, located in the Afar Region of Ethiopia, which dramatically reawakened on Sunday morning, November 23, 2025. The eruption produced a massive plume of ash, sulphur dioxide, and fine glass and rock particles, soaring to altitudes of up to 45,000 feet, which is well within the typical cruising height of commercial aircraft.
Understanding the Volcanic Ash threat
Volcanic ash is not like the soft ash from a fire; it is composed of tiny, sharp fragments of rock, minerals, and glass. For aviation, this material presents a triple threat. Firstly, at high altitudes, the particles can be sucked into jet engines, where the heat is sufficient to melt the ash. This molten material then coats the internal engine parts, particularly the turbine blades, leading to engine malfunction or complete failure. Encounters with volcanic ash plumes have historically caused serious incidents, including mid-air engine shutdowns.
Secondly, the ash can scratch aircraft windscreens, impairing the flight crew’s visibility, and contaminate the pressurised air drawn from the engines for the cabin, potentially leading to a chemical odour or smoke inside the aircraft. Lastly, it affects vital airspeed indicators and other sensors, leading to incorrect readings that can jeopardise flight safety.
Impact on Travelers and Aviation Safety
As the voluminous ash plume drifted eastwards, first across the Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula (including Yemen and Oman) and subsequently into India’s northwestern airspace, aviation authorities quickly responded. India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an urgent safety advisory to all airlines, instructing them to avoid affected regions and altitudes. Airports were also advised to inspect runways and taxiways for ash contamination and suspend operations if necessary to prevent engine ingestion during take-off and landing.
The direct consequence for travelers has been flight disruptions across routes connecting India with the Middle East and Europe. Multiple Indian and international carriers, including IndiGo, Akasa Air, and KLM, have cancelled or rerouted flights. For instance, some flights to destinations like Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi were cancelled or diverted to avoid the ash corridor. Airlines have had to conduct detailed engine checks on aircraft that flew near the affected zones as a precautionary measure.
While the explosive phase of the Hayli Gubbi eruption appears to have stopped, the existing ash cloud, traveling at speeds of 100–120 km/h, continues to dictate flight paths and cause potential delays. Passengers are strongly advised to check their flight status with their respective airlines for real-time updates and be prepared for ongoing schedule modifications until the plume dissipates.
Implications for Delhi’s Air Quality crisis
The arrival of the volcanic ash cloud over parts of Northwest India, including the Delhi-NCR region, has ignited concern over its potential to worsen the capital’s already severe air pollution crisis. Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) remains firmly entrenched in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ categories due to a mix of local and regional emission sources. The question is whether the high-altitude volcanic plume, which contains dust, silica, and sulphur dioxide, will descend and mix with the city’s toxic ground-level air.
Meteorological and environmental experts offer a guarded assessment. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) suggests that a significant deterioration of Delhi’s air quality from the volcanic ash is unlikely. This is primarily because the plume is traveling at very high altitudes, between 15,000 and 45,000 feet, and its effect at the surface level is expected to be minimal. The most noticeable impact is a possibility of a hazy or darker sky for a few hours as the cloud passes over.
However, some environmental analysts have cautioned that the situation demands close monitoring. Volcanic emissions, especially sulphur dioxide and fine particulate matter, are toxic. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, noted that this plume is a “toxic mix of fine particles and gases” that could potentially worsen the smog in Delhi’s already saturated airshed, posing enhanced health risks for vulnerable groups.
As the plume is forecast to drift further east towards the Himalayas and China, the period of risk for Delhi’s surface air quality is expected to be short-lived, but the persistent threat of high-altitude disruption to air travel continues.
