What is volcanic ash?
Unlike the soft ash you get from burning wood, volcanic ash is abrasive. It has jagged rock, minerals and even volcanic glass. It is formed when magma (molten rock) solidifies in the air after being shot out of a volcano.
Sulphur dioxide from the volcano
A UAE astronomer shared maps of the spread of sulphur dioxide after the eruption. The first picture shows the situation when the volcano erupted on November 23, and the second picture shows the spread.
According to the astronomer, sulphur dioxide is one of the six principal pollutants regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It can cause “irritation to the eyes, nose, and lungs, and high concentrations of it may lead to temporary impairment of breathing.”
Delhi flights delayed
ANI said that “seven international flights (arrivals and departures) scheduled between 1am and 6pm on November 25 have been cancelled.” It added that 12 international flights, including arrivals and departures, have been delayed, citing “sources”.
Oman and Saudi Arabia not impacted
On Monday, Oman issued an advisory about gas and ash emissions from the volcano, noting potential impact on air quality in the Sultanate. The authority confirmed that monitoring stations did not detect any rise in pollutant levels yesterday.
Saudi Arabia also stated that there was no impact on its atmosphere, and that the Kingdom would continue to monitor the situation.
Will the volcano ash affect Delhi’s pollution?
According to the IMD, the ash from the volcano is at a height of more than 10 km above the ground — meaning that it is unlikely to affect Delhi’s already severe pollution levels. It also said that the impact over Indian cities would likely be short-lived, as the cloud was moving eastward quickly, according to ANI.
Etihad ‘on schedule’
An Etihad Airways spokesperson said they’re aware of weather conditions affecting flights across the GCC and Asia, following the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia on November 23, Khaleej Times’ principal correspondent reported.
“Etihad flights remain on schedule and will operate as planned. We will continue to monitor the situation closely. The safety of our guests and crew remains our highest priority,” said the statement.
It advised travelers to keep their contact details updated to ensure they receive important flight updates.
Volcano erupts
A volcano, Hayli Gubbi, erupted in Ethiopia on Sunday for several hours, causing large volumes of volcanic ash to rise into the sky and drift eastward, towards the Red Sea, the Middle East, Pakistan and India.
At least one India-UAE flight was diverted due to volcanic ash, while several others have been cancelled as airlines assess the effect of the eruption.
Follow Khaleej Times as we bring you all the updates from the volcano.
Emirates, flydubai issue statements
The Dubai-based carriers Emirates and flydubai’s on Tuesday said their flights are operating as normal, including those to Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, and there is no impact of the volcanic ash eruption on the operations, airlines said in a statement to Khaleej Times on Tuesday.
The Dubai Airports website also showed flights to and from the Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Addis Ababa departed and arrived on time on Tuesday morning. Similarly, flights scheduled to the African country later in the day are set to depart and arrive on time, as per the data available on Dubai Airports.
What we know so far about volcano eruption
A volcano in Ethiopia’s northeastern region erupted for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, sending thick plumes of smoke up to 14 kilometres (nine miles) into the sky, the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) said, according to AFP.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano, located in Ethiopia’s Afar region about 800 kilometres (500 miles) northeast of Addis Ababa near the Eritrean border, erupted on Sunday for several hours.
The volcano, which rises about 500 metres in altitude, sits within the Rift Valley, a zone of intense geological activity where two tectonic plates meet. Ash clouds from the volcano drifted over Yemen, Oman, India, and northern Pakistan, the VAAC said.
The Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program said Hayli Gubbi has had no known eruptions during the Holocene, which began around 12,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age.
Volcanic ash
The rare eruption has resulted in a volcanic ash that moved towards the east over the southern parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Environment authorities in Oman and Saudi Arabia said they are closely monitoring the situation, while resassuring the public that no direct impact was recorded.
On Monday, the Oman Environment Authority confirmed detecting some volcanic ash over parts of the Empty Quarter and portions of the Arabian Sea at an altitude of 35,000 feet.
In its latest update on the matter, the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) said that the eruption has stopped and that the ash cloud was moving towards China.
Clouds to drift to China later
The ash clouds from the volcanic activity in Ethiopia are currently drifting towards China and will move away from India by 7.30 pm on Tuesday, according to the India Meteorological Department.Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Center.
Akasa Air cancels flights for two days
Akasa Air has cancelled all flights to and from Jeddah, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi from November 24 to 25, according to ANI. “Following recent volcanic activity in Ethiopia and the resulting ash plume in the surrounding airspace, our flights to and from Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi scheduled for 24th and 25th November 2025 have been cancelled,” an Akasa Air spokesperson said. Passengers were offered either a full refund or complimentary rebooking within seven days, ANI reported.
IndiGo said it was working with international aviation bodies to minimise inconvenience to passengers. As a precautionary measure, its Kannur-Abu Dhabi flight (6E1433) was diverted to Ahmedabad when the ash drifted closer to Indian airspace.
Flight disruptions
Flights between India and GCC countries have been disrupted due to volcanic ash from Ethiopia’s Hauli Gubbi. The ash clouds have spread into the Red Sea and are affecting high-altitude routes between the two regions, according to ANI.
Routes affected include those between Indian cities and Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Airlines such as Air India and Indigo have said that they have cancelled flights as they inspect conditions, in order to prioritise the safety of passengers and crew.
Air India announced that some of its flights have been cancelled as they carry out “precautionary checks” on aircraft which have already flown over the affected regions after the eruption.
Two of the flights cancelled, AI 2204 to Hyderabad and AI 2212 to Chennai, were from Dubai on November 24.
Here is the full list of cancelled Air India flights:
November 24
AI 106 – Newark–Delhi
AI 102 – New York (JFK)–Delhi
AI 2204 – Dubai–Hyderabad
AI 2290 – Doha–Mumbai
AI 2212 – Dubai–Chennai
AI 2250 – Dammam–Mumbai
AI 2284 – Doha–Delhi
November 25
AI 2822 – Chennai–Mumbai
AI 2466 – Hyderabad–Delhi
AI 2444 / 2445 – Mumbai–Hyderabad–Mumbai
AI 2471 / 2472 – Mumbai–Kolkata–Mumbai
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