New Delhi – Dense fog continued to disrupt flight operations at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi on Monday, leading to cancellations, delays, and diversions, though officials reported a gradual recovery throughout the day. Airport authorities issued an advisory, urging passengers to check with their respective airlines for the latest flight status before heading to the airport.
The দিনে, visibility dropped sharply, particularly in the early hours, resulting in significant operational challenges. Departures were halted for nearly six hours until 10 a.m., and landings occurred intermittently as visibility fell below permissible levels. Many aircraft that had landed were stranded due to the lack of available parking space. According to sources, as of 9 a.m., 127 flights with passengers were waiting at parking bays and taxiways for their turn to take off.
Airlines have been grappling with the disruptions. IndiGo cancelled 145 flights, while Air India cancelled over 100 flights. Other airlines, including Air India Express and Akasa Air, also issued advisories, alerting passengers to potential weather-related disruptions. IndiGo reported that the prolonged low visibility during the morning hours impacted air traffic movement, leading to cancellations to ensure safe operations throughout the day.
The airport implemented CAT III conditions, which allow landings in extremely low visibility, but even with this advanced system, disruptions were unavoidable. Some flights were diverted because they did not have crew trained for CAT III landings, and parking bays were full. The runway visual range (visibility with runway lights on) was between 75 and 100 meters at 7 a.m., below the minimum of 125 meters required for take-offs.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation issued a heavy fog alert for Northern India, advising travelers to check their flight status and allow extra travel time due to the poor visibility. Ministry officials also visited the Airport Operations Control Centre to assess the real-time situation and minimize disruptions.
Later in the day, visibility improved, allowing schedules to gradually recover. Airport teams and Air Traffic Control (ATC) worked to assist passengers and coordinate efforts across terminals.
The fog conditions also impacted other airports in North India, with cancellations of Delhi-bound services reported in Bhopal and Silchar. As India's busiest airport, with approximately 1300 daily movements, disruptions in Delhi have a cascading effect on the wider network.
Beyond the airport, Delhi continued to struggle with severe air quality. The Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the 'severe' category, with residents reporting breathlessness and heightened health risks.
