Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Company Policy; Environment - Non Weather Related
We were assigned to operate to ZZZZ1 at night. On both nights Dispatch wanted us to fly to ZZZZ1 in violation of company policy stated in the FOM. On both nights there was volcanic activity in the vicinity of ZZZZ1.  The volcanic ash was emitting from the volcano east of ZZZZ1 and the ash cloud was traveling west. On the second night explosions in the caldera were reported and the seismic monitoring equipment and webcam went off line. At no time when Dispatch wanted us to launch could we have complied with company policy. The ash charts we were provided had truncated cones due to the ash merging with cloud cover and did not provide a prediction of the location and limits of the ash cloud. On the first night we spent over 5 hours on the aircraft before going back into rest. On the second night we spent over 12 hours on the aircraft as we requested updated information and verification from management that they wanted us to violate company policy. The cavalier manner in which safety policies are being ignored could lead to tragic consequences.
Air carrier Captain reported that his company attempted to have them fly to an airport which was in close proximity to the ash cloud of an active volcano in violation of the Flight Operations Manual.