UAE travelers face delays after Ethiopia volcano erupts

Travel disruptions across the region are expected to continue for at least another two days after the eruption of Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi Mountain, according to Khaleej Times.

Safeer Mohammed, general manager of Smart Travels, said several flights between India and the UAE have already been canceled in recent days. He warned that passengers should be prepared for ongoing delays. “Disruptions can be expected for at least another two days,” he said, adding that many travelers have had their plans affected.

Raheesh Babu, COO of Musafir.com, said his agency is advising passengers to double-check bookings before leaving home. “We had one passenger who needed to get home urgently but his flight was canceled,” he said. “Our team rebooked him on a different sector in India and then he took internal flights.”

The eruption, which took place Sunday in Ethiopia’s Afar region, has created a ripple effect on regional air travel. Safeer said he experienced an hourlong delay on his own trip after an announcement about restrictions in Muscat’s airspace.

Additional weather issues have compounded the situation. Raheesh said heavy fog on Wednesday morning disrupted some flights from the UAE, adding to congestion caused by the eruption. “There are multiple ramifications from the disruption as well as other weather issues in the region,” he said. “We are asking people to factor in delays and be patient over the next few days.”

He said most passengers have remained calm and that operations should return to normal within the next couple of days.