For the second consecutive day, dense winter fog has severely disrupted air travel at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), leading to widespread flight cancellations and significant delays. The persistent low visibility conditions have thrown schedules into chaos, affecting thousands of passengers.
Flight Operations in Disarray
As of Tuesday, airport sources confirmed that a total of 126 flights have been cancelled due to the adverse weather. This includes 49 departure flights and 77 arrival flights. The disruptions come a day after similar foggy conditions led to over 200 cancellations and 800 delays at the country's busiest aviation hub.
While the airport operator, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), stated in a noon advisory that operations were "running smooth," it simultaneously acknowledged that a number of arrivals and departures could still be impacted. Data from live flight tracking websites painted a clearer picture, showing that departures were facing an average delay of 35 minutes by Tuesday afternoon, even as arrivals began to normalise.
Airlines and Airport Response
Airlines have been forced to issue advisories to passengers, warning of possible delays and cancellations. IndiGo, the largest carrier at Delhi airport, specifically cited early morning fog across North India as a cause for slowed flight movements. The airline urged travellers to check their flight status before leaving for the airport and stated that its teams were monitoring conditions and making operational adjustments to minimise inconvenience.
DIAL has deployed additional on-ground staff across all terminals to assist affected passengers. The airport authority has consistently advised travellers to stay in close contact with their respective airlines for the latest updates on their flights, rather than relying solely on general airport announcements.
Nationwide Cascading Effects
The ripple effects of the disruptions at Delhi, a major national and international transit point, were felt across India's aviation network. The cascading delays led to announced disruptions at other major airports, including Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. This highlights how severe weather in the northern capital can have a knock-on effect, disrupting carefully coordinated national flight schedules.
The situation underscores the annual challenge that Indian airports, particularly in the northern plains, face during the winter months. While airlines and airport authorities implement fog contingency plans, the sheer density of the fog and the volume of air traffic often lead to significant operational hurdles, testing the resilience of the aviation infrastructure and the patience of travellers.
