Flight operations at Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport in Indore faced significant disruptions on Tuesday morning as dense fog enveloped the region, drastically reducing visibility to just 600 metres. This adverse weather condition triggered a cascade of operational challenges, including the diversion of multiple flights, cancellations on key regional routes, and substantial delays affecting nearly a dozen other operations.
Flight Diversions Due to Low Visibility
The dense fog created hazardous landing conditions, forcing several flights to be rerouted to alternative airports. Two IndiGo flights arriving from Mumbai were unable to land in Indore during the morning hours. One of these flights, originally scheduled to touch down at 7.45 am, was diverted to Rajkot, while another, slated for a 9.05 am arrival, was redirected to Ahmedabad.
In a related incident, an IndiGo flight traveling from Ahmedabad to Bhopal was diverted to Indore after it failed to land in the state capital due to similarly poor fog conditions. This diversion highlights the widespread impact of the fog across central India's aviation network.
Cancellations on Regional Routes
The fog-induced disruptions extended to flight cancellations, particularly affecting regional connectivity. IndiGo's Nashik flight, which was scheduled to depart from Indore at 1.30 pm and return at 4.13 pm, was cancelled outright. Additionally, Air India Express's 10.55 am flight to Goa and its corresponding 3 pm return flight were also cancelled.
Airport management cited the late arrival of the aircraft from Pune as the reason for the Goa flight cancellation, though the overarching fog conditions likely contributed to the broader logistical challenges.
Widespread Delays Impacting Passengers
Beyond diversions and cancellations, the fog led to extensive delays for nearly 12 flights, with postponements ranging from 1.5 to four hours. One notable example was a flight from Pune, originally scheduled for a 10 am arrival in Indore, which did not reach its destination until 4:20 pm—a delay of over six hours. These delays caused considerable inconvenience to travelers, disrupting schedules and highlighting the vulnerability of air travel to weather-related disruptions.
The incident underscores the critical role of weather monitoring and contingency planning in aviation, especially during India's winter months when fog is a common occurrence in many regions.
