Flight operations at Jaipur International Airport were severely disrupted on Monday morning as a thick blanket of fog engulfed the region, drastically reducing visibility and throwing schedules into chaos.
Visibility Drops, Flights Forced to Circle and Return
Airport authorities reported that visibility plummeted to a mere 100 metres by Monday morning, making it extremely difficult for aircraft to land. The situation led to significant operational hurdles. An IndiGo flight, 6E-7114, arriving from Ahmedabad, was forced to circle in the air for a considerable time before ultimately deciding to return to its origin. Another inbound IndiGo service, flight 6E-7274 from Indore, had to hold in Jaipur airspace for approximately 25 minutes before it could finally execute a safe landing.
Cascading Delays Across Multiple Routes
The fog's impact created a ripple effect, delaying departures for several hours. IndiGo flight 6E-7718, scheduled to fly from Jaipur to Chandigarh at 9:45 AM, was delayed by nearly four hours, eventually taking off at 1:53 PM. Officials clarified that this aircraft was coming from Udaipur, where poor visibility had already pushed back its initial departure from 8:15 AM to 11:35 AM.
Similarly, a Jaipur to Udaipur service, IndiGo flight 6E-7465, was delayed by over three hours. The disruption wasn't limited to Monday alone. On the preceding Sunday night, an Air India Express flight, IX 2069, from Jaipur to Bengaluru was also delayed. However, officials attributed this particular delay to technical issues, not the weather. It was scheduled for a 10:45 PM departure but only took off at 2:04 AM.
Passenger Frustration Mounts
The extended delays, coupled with a lack of clear communication, left many passengers frustrated. Kishan Singh, a passenger on the delayed Air India Express flight to Bengaluru, took to social media to express his grievance. He stated that even as late as 12:30 AM, there were no updates from the airline regarding the reason for the prolonged wait or the new departure time.
This incident highlights the recurring challenges faced by air travelers in North India during the winter months when dense fog frequently affects major airports, leading to widespread schedule disruptions and testing passenger patience.
