A major volcanic eruption in Ethiopia has caused significant travel disruption across the Middle East, with several airlines cancelling or diverting flights to and from the UAE. The Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted on Sunday for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, sending ash clouds 14km into the sky and drifting across the Red Sea toward Yemen, Oman and parts of South Asia.
Akasa Air cancelled all flights to and from Abu Dhabi, Jeddah and Kuwait for a second consecutive day on Tuesday. Air India also suspended routes from Dubai to Hyderabad and Chennai, as well as flights between India, Doha, Saudi Arabia and the US. Some domestic flights in India were cancelled due to lingering ash conditions.
Air India said its teams were assisting passengers with hotels and alternative travel arrangements, emphasising safety as its top priority. IndiGo also diverted a flight bound for Abu Dhabi after ash moved close to Indian airspace.
