Severe Weather Throws Chandigarh Airport Into Chaos: Flights Diverted, Hundreds Stranded
Severe weather conditions wreaked havoc on flight operations at Chandigarh International Airport on Friday, creating widespread disruption across air travel networks. Heavy rainfall accompanied by strong gusty winds throughout the day significantly impacted visibility and runway conditions, leading to a cascade of operational challenges that left hundreds of passengers stranded and frustrated.
Flight Diversions and Operational Disruptions
From early morning hours, poor visibility and adverse weather conditions made both landings and take-offs extremely challenging at Chandigarh airport. This resulted in numerous flight diversions to alternative airports across northern India. Among the most notable incidents was the diversion of IndiGo flight 6E-6375 operating from Ahmedabad to Chandigarh, which was redirected to Amritsar due to the deteriorating weather situation over its intended destination.
Even after landing safely in Amritsar, passengers aboard this flight faced additional hardship as they were required to remain seated inside the aircraft for nearly two hours without adequate communication from airline staff. Several travelers described the experience as "like being held hostage," expressing frustration over the lack of timely information and proper arrangements during the prolonged wait.
Multiple Flight Cancellations Add to Passenger Woes
Alongside the diversions, multiple flights were cancelled throughout the day, compounding the chaos at Chandigarh airport. The cancellations affected both inbound and outbound operations significantly:
- IndiGo's Srinagar-Chandigarh flight was cancelled
- The afternoon Jaipur-Chandigarh service was scrapped
- Several inbound flights from Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru were cancelled
- Outbound flights scheduled to Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Srinagar, Delhi, Jaipur, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru remained grounded from morning till evening
Additional Diversions Across Multiple Routes
The adverse weather conditions forced the diversion of several other flights bound for Chandigarh throughout the day:
- A morning flight from Mumbai was diverted to Jaipur
- Flights arriving from Hyderabad were redirected to Delhi
- The Chennai-Chandigarh flight was diverted to Jaipur
- Another Ahmedabad-Chandigarh service was forced to land in Amritsar
These diversions created significant uncertainty for passengers about their onward journeys and connecting flights, with many left scrambling for alternative arrangements.
Passenger Hardships and Elderly Travelers' Plight
Among the affected passengers was a senior citizen couple returning from Malaysia along with their son, who faced particular hardship after their onward Bengaluru-Chandigarh flight was cancelled. Lajwant Singh, one of the elderly travelers, shared their distressing experience: "We arrived from Langkawi, Malaysia, and had a Bengaluru-Chandigarh flight scheduled at 3.13 pm today, but it was cancelled. The 9 pm flight was also cancelled in advance. We were only told that the weather in Chandigarh was not suitable."
Nearly 250 passengers were scheduled to travel to Chandigarh on the same flight. After repeated approaches to IndiGo officials, they were informed that their rescheduled flight would operate via Hyderabad the following day, but even this arrangement remained uncertain due to the continuing bad weather forecast.
Airline Response and Weather Advisory
IndiGo Airlines issued an official advisory acknowledging that flight operations were impacted due to bad weather over multiple regions including Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Dharamshala, and Chandigarh. The airline stated that it is closely monitoring weather conditions and making concerted efforts to transport passengers safely to their destinations.
Passengers have been advised to regularly check their flight status through the airline's official website or mobile application for real-time updates. The airline has also arranged accommodation for some affected passengers, though many travelers reported inadequate communication and support during the disruption.
The severe weather disruption at Chandigarh airport highlights the vulnerability of air travel infrastructure to extreme weather conditions and underscores the need for improved passenger communication and contingency planning during such operational crises.
