Severe winter fog has thrown air travel into disarray across northern India, leading to significant flight disruptions at major airports. The adverse weather conditions have resulted in over 120 flight cancellations, impacting hundreds of passengers during the peak holiday season.
Widespread Cancellations at Key Airports
The cascading effect of the dense fog was felt sharply on Saturday, December 20. At the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi, a staggering 66 arrival and 63 departure flights were cancelled for the day, as confirmed by the airport in a statement to news agency ANI. The disruptions continued into the next day, with at least four flights cancelled at Srinagar airport on December 21. Among these, three were services to and from Amritsar and one was a Delhi-bound flight.
Airlines Issue Advisories, Cite Safety Priority
Leading carrier IndiGo proactively issued a travel advisory on Saturday, warning passengers of potential disruptions due to early-morning fog expected across Delhi and northern India on Sunday. The airline stated that reduced visibility could lead to delays or schedule changes.
"Early-morning fog is expected to affect visibility across Delhi and parts of northern India. During these hours, visibility can suddenly reduce, impacting flight operations," the advisory read, emphasizing that safety remains the top priority.
IndiGo assured passengers that its operations teams were monitoring conditions round-the-clock to minimize inconvenience. The airline advised travelers to:
- Check the latest flight status via their provided link before leaving for the airport.
- Contact the airline for rebooking or refunds if their flight is affected.
Airport Authorities Activate Low-Visibility Protocols
Delhi Airport confirmed that Low Visibility Procedures (LVP) were in progress. In a 7:00 am statement, the airport authority noted that while all flight operations were functioning normally under the circumstances, passengers should contact their respective airlines for real-time updates. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and several other airlines also issued warnings about fog-induced delays.
This annual winter phenomenon continues to challenge air, rail, and road transport in northern India. Passengers are urged to stay informed through official channels and build in extra time for their journeys as the fog season persists.
