DGCA issues advisory as African volcanic ash drifts towards North

The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia erupted for the first time in nearly 12,000 years on November 23, sending large ash plumes towards northern India, according to the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC).

While the eruption has stopped, the ash clouds from the volcano drifted over Yemen, Oman, India and northern Pakistan. India has braced for potential flight disruption.

IndiGo flight cancelled

IndiGo 6E 1433 flight from Kannur to Abu Dhabi was diverted to Ahmedabad and cancelled due to volcanic activity. “Indigo will provide return service to Kannur to affected passengers,” said its official. “Volcanic ash activity has been reported across parts of the Arabian Peninsula. This may impact flight operations for aircraft flying through these regions.” said SpiceJet.

In an operational advisory issued on Monday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) alerted all Indian aviation operators to heightened volcanic ash activity over the Muscat Flight Information Region (FIR), warning that the phenomenon posed a direct threat to flight safety.

The regulator said a volcanic ash advisory had been released by Toulouse and the Airports Authority of India (AAI), along with an ASHTAM, a special message informing about a volcanic eruption. “This is to inform all Indian Aviation Operators of the recent volcanic ash activity affecting the Muscat FIR and surrounding regions,” the DGCA said, adding that a copy of the advisory had been circulated for “immediate reference and necessary action”.

The DGCA has asked airlines to review their operations manual on volcanic ash and ensure that all personnel are fully briefed on the procedures. It emphasised that operators must remind crew of the mandatory protocols, noting that strict adherence was essential given the potential impact of ash on engines, visibility and aircraft systems.

Expanding on actions required from pilots, dispatchers and cabin crew, the regulator said flight crew must avoid all published ash-affected areas and flight levels, adjust flight planning and routing based on the latest bulletins, and report any suspected exposure without delay. This includes any signs of engine fluctuations, smoke, or odour inside the cabin. Dispatchers, it said, must maintain continuous monitoring of volcanic ash advisories, NOTAMs (notice to air missions), ASHTAMs and relevant meteorological updates.

On operational adjustments, the DGCA advised airlines to avoid affected regions, modify dispatch procedures where necessary, reassess fuel planning, and carry out post-flight engine and airframe inspections on aircraft flying near the impacted zones. Operators, it added, must be prepared to suspend or delay flights to airports where conditions deteriorate.

The regulator also directed carriers to activate their internal safety risk management systems.

Stressing the need for uninterrupted vigilance, the DGCA said operators must maintain round-the-clock monitoring of the ash cloud through satellite imagery, advisory bulletins and weather data, and stay updated with ash movement forecasts issued at frequent intervals. “You are requested to disseminate this information to all relevant operational departments and ensure strict compliance until further notice,” the advisory read.

An ash cloud is a large, dense cloud of fine volcanic ash, dust, and gases that forms and is ejected into the atmosphere during a volcanic eruption. The sulphur dioxide release could influence weather patterns and worsen the air quality.