Volcanic Ash Plumes Impact Flight Services; Air India Cancels Flights, Inspects Aircraft
An official said seven international flights, including arrivals and departures, were cancelled.
Flight operations were impacted on Tuesday, with at least seven international flight cancellations and nearly a dozen overseas services getting delayed due to the ash plumes from the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia.
Air India cancelled 13 flights since Monday as seven of its aircraft that had flown through regions affected by the volcanic ash plumes were subject to precautionary checks. These planes were cleared for operations on Tuesday, according to a source.
Ash clouds from the recent eruption of the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia impacted flight operations and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday said the ash plumes are drifting towards China and will move away from India.
An official said seven international flights, including arrivals and departures, were cancelled and 12 international flights were delayed at the Delhi airport due to the impact of the volcanic ash plumes.
The Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital is the country's largest airport, handling over 1,500 flight movements daily.
In the afternoon, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said there was no cause for concern at the moment and that the situation is being monitored closely.
'Following the 23 Nov volcanic eruption in Ethiopia and the eastward movement of the ash cloud, MoCA -- along with ATC, IMD, airlines and international aviation agencies -- is ensuring seamless coordination.
'AAI has issued the necessary NOTAM and all affected flights have been kept informed. Operations across India remain smooth, with only a few flights rerouted or descended as a precaution,' the ministry said in a post on X. AAI refers to the Airports Authority of India and NOTAM is Notice to Airmen.
On Tuesday, Air India said it has cancelled 13 flights since Monday and was carrying out precautionary checks on those planes that had flown over locations that had ash plumes due to the volcanic activity in Ethiopia.
Air India said it has cancelled four flights on Tuesday -- AI 2822 (Chennai-Mumbai), AI 2466 (Hyderabad-Delhi), AI 2444 / 2445 (Mumbai-Hyderabad-Mumbai) and AI 2471/2472 (Mumbai-Kolkata-Mumbai).
On Monday, it had cancelled seven international flights, including AI 106 (Newark-Delhi), AI 102 (New York (JFK)-Delhi) and AI 2204 (Dubai-Hyderabad) and AI 2290 (Doha-Mumbai).
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology at the IMD, said the impact was limited to higher skies.
'The volcanic ash is being seen only in the upper troposphere and it is affecting flight operations. It has no impact on air quality or weather. The ash cloud is drifting towards China and will move away from Indian skies by 7.30 pm,' Mohapatra said. Volcanic ash reached the skies over Gujarat, Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana on Tuesday.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday asked airlines to strictly avoid published volcanic ash affected areas and flight levels, adjust flight planning, routing, and fuel considerations based on the latest advisories.
In a detailed advisory, the regulator had also asked airlines to immediately report any suspected ash encounter, including engine performance anomalies or cabin smoke/odour. If volcanic ash affects airport operations, then the operator concerned must immediately inspect runways, taxiways, and aprons. Depending on the contamination, the operations may be restricted, and cleaning procedures have to be completed before resuming movements, the watchdog had said.
