Bengaluru Man’s Desperate Plea as Grandmother Stranded at Doha Airport Amid Global Flight Chaos Triggered by Ethiopia Volcano

A Bengaluru resident has issued a desperate public appeal after his elderly grandmother became stranded for more than a day at Doha’s Hamad International Airport, caught in the wave of global travel disruptions triggered by a major volcanic eruption in Ethiopia.

Saswat Biswas, known online as Takezo (@TakezoInTheWind), took to social media to draw attention to the distressing situation faced by his 70-plus grandmother, who had been waiting inside the airport for nearly 27 hours with no clear assistance. She was scheduled to travel on Air India flight AI 2284 to Delhi and onward to Kolkata after spending two months with family in Doha.

According to Biswas, the airline’s ground staff offered no hotel accommodation, no exit permission, and no access to her checked-in medication, leaving the elderly woman exhausted, anxious, and forced to rely on whatever seating was available in the busy terminal.

“Hi @airindia, my grandmother was scheduled to take AI2284 but is stuck in Doha airport… IT HAS BEEN over 14 hours,” he wrote, adding that her essential medicines were packed in the checked baggage. The post quickly gained traction as other stranded passengers reported similar hardships.

Volcanic Ash from Ethiopia Grounds Flights Across Continents

Global aviation authorities raised alarms after Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano spewed massive ash plumes that drifted across the Red Sea and disrupted some of the busiest flight corridors in the region. Satellite images showed dense ash clouds drifting toward the Middle East, forcing several airlines to cancel, divert, or delay dozens of flights to avoid dangerous flying conditions.

Air India alone announced the cancellation of 13 flights since Monday, adding to the mounting frustration among travellers.

Visa Expiry Leaves Elderly Passenger Trapped Inside Airport

Compounding the ordeal, Biswas’s grandmother could not leave the terminal because her Doha visa had expired, barring her from accessing outside accommodation. Airport hotel rooms were reportedly fully booked due to an ongoing football championship, leaving hundreds of stranded fliers with no place to rest.

The airline stated that it arranged meal vouchers, refreshments, and lounge access where possible, but passengers said the lounges were overflowing and understaffed.

Finally, a Rescheduled Flight

After nearly a full day of uncertainty, Air India confirmed a rescheduled departure at 1 am local time on Wednesday, bringing some relief to anxious families tracking updates from afar.

Meanwhile, the ripple effect of the volcanic ash has been felt in India as well. At Delhi Airport alone, seven international flights were cancelled and more than ten delayed, as aviation authorities continue to monitor atmospheric data and global advisories.

Experts warn that operations may take several days to stabilize, depending on how the ash cloud disperses.