Dense fog wreaked havoc on air travel across Bihar on Saturday, leading to significant disruptions including multiple flight cancellations and extensive delays. The adverse weather conditions, both locally and in the national capital Delhi, impacted operations at key airports in the state, leaving passengers stranded and schedules in disarray.
Major Disruptions at Patna's JP International Airport
The ripple effect of bad weather was strongly felt at Patna's Jayprakash Narayan International Airport. One Air India flight (AI-749) was cancelled due to the adverse weather conditions prevailing in Delhi, which was grappling with a dense fog blanket. Overall, the disruptions were substantial, with as many as 13 arrivals and 15 departures affected at the Patna airport. Delays stretched up to a maximum of two hours for some services.
However, airport authorities provided some reassurance. Airport director Chandra Pratap Dwivedi clarified that the impact was limited to a handful of services. "Fog has no impact on the scheduled flight. The first flight of the day, Bengaluru-Patna of IndiGo, arrived on time at 10.50 am," he stated, emphasizing that the majority of operations continued normally with only minor delays.
North Bihar Airports Also Affected
The travel chaos was not confined to Patna alone. Airports in North Bihar also faced operational challenges due to local foggy conditions. Purnia and Darbhanga airports each witnessed one cancellation. The affected routes were to Kolkata and Delhi, respectively.
Dilip Kumar, director of Darbhanga airport, explained the situation. "All cancelled flights are planned by the airlines and the passengers are informed in advance. Only one flight was cancelled on Saturday, the other five flights operated normally," he said. Despite this, the cancellation and delays of incoming aircraft created a cascading effect, leading to subsequent departure delays and extended waiting times for frustrated passengers.
Passenger Advisories and Winter Outlook
In response to the ongoing challenges, airlines have been proactively advising travelers. Major carriers including Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet are issuing regular updates and advisories. They strongly recommend that flyers check their flight status directly with the airline before starting their journey to the airport.
This advisory is crucial as foggy conditions are expected to persist in parts of Bihar and northern India throughout the winter season. The disruptions on Saturday serve as a stark reminder of the impact of winter weather on aviation schedules, prompting authorities and airlines to urge passengers to plan accordingly and stay informed about real-time flight information to avoid inconvenience.
