Air India A320. Photo: Air India Air India halts flights due to volcanic eruption.
Air India has announced that several of its flights have been canceled, after the company began conducting precautionary checks on planes flying over geographical areas affected by the eruption of the Hayli Gubbi volcano. More flights may be canceled later.
According to the company's announcement, ground crews at various airports are updating passengers in real time, providing immediate assistance, including hotel accommodations if necessary, and rerouting passengers to alternative flights as soon as possible.
The company expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to passengers and noted that the situation was unexpected and beyond the company's control. Air India management added that the safety of passengers and crew remains their top priority.
The airline had already warned yesterday about the consequences of the volcanic eruption: "Following the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia, ash clouds have been observed over certain geographical regions. We are closely monitoring the situation and remain in constant touch with our operating crew. There is no major impact on Air India flights at this time. We will take all necessary steps under our precautionary plans to ensure the safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft, which remains our top priority."