Ethiopia's Hayli Gubbi volcano erupts for first time in 10,000 years, grounding India-UAE flights

When the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region roared to life on November 22, 2025, no one expected it to ground flights from Delhi to Dubai—or trigger a continental aviation crisis. But that’s exactly what happened. The eruption, the first recorded in the last 10,000 years, sent a plume of ash 40,000 feet into the sky, drifting across the Red Sea and slamming into one of the world’s busiest air corridors: the India-Gulf route. By November 24, airlines were canceling flights, airports were scrambling, and passengers were stranded—all because of a remote volcano few had ever heard of.

How a Remote Eruption Paralyzed Global Air Travel

The Afar Triangle, where Hayli Gubbi sits, is a geologically active rift zone where three tectonic plates pull apart. It’s home to other active volcanoes, but Hayli Gubbi had slept quietly for millennia. Then, without warning, it erupted. Ash fell on villages in the Afdera district, coating rooftops, clogging water sources, and forcing residents to wear masks just to breathe. Livestock couldn’t graze. No one knew how long it would last.

But the real shockwave came when high-altitude winds—unusually strong that week—pushed the ash cloud eastward. By November 24, the plume had crossed the Arabian Sea and reached western India. The India Meteorological Department issued an alert: “Ash concentration exceeds safe thresholds for jet engines.”

Airlines Grounded, Passengers Stranded

The DGCA, India’s civil aviation regulator led by Vikram Dev Dass, moved fast. On November 24, it ordered all carriers to avoid affected airspace, inspect engines, and check runways for ash residue. The directive wasn’t a suggestion—it was a safety mandate.

Air India, under CEO Cambridge Wilson, canceled 11 flights between November 24–25. Among them: Delhi–Tokyo (before takeoff), Kochi–Jeddah, and Kochi–Dubai. Gulf News confirmed the cancellations, noting that Air India also conducted mandatory engine inspections on aircraft that had flown through the ash cloud.

Akasa Air, the Mumbai-based startup led by Vinay Dube, went further. It canceled every flight to Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi for those two days. “Unsafe flying conditions,” their spokesperson told Gulf News. No ifs, ands, or buts.

IndiGo, India’s largest airline with CEO Pieter Elbers, grounded flight 6E1475 from Cochin to Dubai and diverted a Kannur–Abu Dhabi flight to Ahmedabad. At Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, seven international flights were canceled outright, and over a dozen delayed on November 25 alone—routes to Dubai, Jeddah, Frankfurt, Helsinki, Kabul, and Hong Kong all affected.

Why This Matters More Than Just a Few Cancelled Flights

This wasn’t just an inconvenience. It hit at the peak of travel season between India and the Gulf. Millions of Indian workers in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait rely on these routes for family visits, medical trips, and annual leave. Thousands were stranded. Akasa Air offered hotel accommodations and rebookings. Air India set up emergency help desks. But for many, it was too late.

The economic ripple? Estimated at over $2.3 million in lost revenue for Indian carriers in just 48 hours. Gulf airlines like Emirates and Etihad also rerouted flights, adding fuel costs and delays. Saudi Arabia and Oman issued travel advisories, though details remained vague.

And here’s the kicker: the eruption lasted less than 48 hours. By November 25, Hayli Gubbi had gone quiet again. The ash cloud, per the India Meteorological Department, cleared Indian skies by 1400 GMT. But the damage to schedules, trust, and supply chains? That lingers.

What Experts Are Saying

A volcanologist quoted by ABC News told The Associated Press: “This is the first recorded eruption of Hayli Gubbi in the last 10,000 years. It will likely continue for a short period and then stop until the next cycle.”

That’s chilling. We’ve spent decades preparing for earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes. But for a volcano that hasn’t stirred in 10 millennia? No early warning systems. No evacuation plans. Just reactive chaos.

The Afar region is a natural laboratory for geologists. But now, it’s also a wake-up call for global aviation. If a single, previously unknown volcano can shut down air travel across two continents, what happens when the next one wakes up?

What’s Next?

The immediate threat is over. But the DGCA is reviewing protocols. Airlines are demanding better real-time ash detection tools. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is expected to convene an emergency session in December.

Meanwhile, Ethiopian officials are still assessing damage in Afdera. No deaths have been reported, but the long-term impact on agriculture and water supply remains unknown. The world watched a volcano erupt—and then watched the modern age grind to a halt.