Pune's Lohegaon Airport descended into chaos on Monday as dense fog blanketing Delhi and other parts of North India severely disrupted air travel. The adverse weather led to the cancellation of at least five flights, both arrivals and departures, while numerous others faced extensive delays, frustrating hundreds of passengers throughout the day.
Passenger Ordeal and Airline Response
The cascading effects of the fog began early in the morning and persisted well into the afternoon. One affected traveler, Yogesh Rao, shared his harrowing experience with his Air India flight (AI-1797) from Delhi to Pune. Passengers were boarded at 5:30 am only to sit inside the aircraft for nearly four hours until the flight's cancellation was announced at 9:20 am. "The airline kept stating that the flight would take off, but it didn't. They served some food to half of the flyers, but once the cancellation was announced, they stopped," Rao, a working professional, said. He added that with no alternatives provided and last-minute fares to Pune soaring between Rs 18,000 to Rs 23,000, he was forced to cancel his travel plans entirely.
Official communication from Pune airport on social media platform X confirmed the cancellation of two more Air India flights, AI-2470 and AI-1838 on the Pune-Delhi sector, bringing the airline's total cancellations to three. Passengers were advised to check their flight status and contact the airline for rebooking or refunds.
Budget carrier IndiGo also informed via its website that two of its flights operating between Delhi and Pune were cancelled. An IndiGo spokesperson cited "low visibility due to dense fog" as severely impacting operations across northern India. The airline stated that while safety was the priority, some flights faced delays and a few were proactively cancelled, warning of potential consequential delays throughout the day.
Widespread Disruption and Passenger Anger
The disruption was widespread. In the morning hours alone, more than 10 departing and arriving flights in Pune recorded delays ranging from 30 minutes to over six hours. Alok Mishra was angry after his father was stranded at Lucknow airport, as his Air India Express flight to Pune, scheduled for 1:35 pm, was rescheduled to 5:10 pm without prior information.
Animesh Pandey, booked on one of the cancelled Air India flights to Delhi, missed an important meeting and pointed out the lack of alternatives. Another passenger, Vinod Mishra, on an IndiGo flight (6E-6675) to Delhi, faced a series of reschedules from 7:35 am to 2:30 pm. He reported that when the aircraft finally arrived from Delhi, ground staff stated the crew had exceeded duty hours, further delaying the flight until 3:45 pm. Airport sources indicated the ripple effects of these delays were expected to be felt until late evening.
DGCA Inspection and IndiGo Schedule Changes
In response to the nationwide fog-related disruptions, an official from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) conducted an inspection at Pune airport on Monday. The review focused on preparedness at key passenger touchpoints including terminal facilities, information dissemination, airline counters, and ground handling operations. A coordination meeting was held with airport, CISF, airline, and ground handling agency representatives. DGCA officials emphasized robust passenger communication, directing airlines to provide timely and accurate information about flight impacts to minimize inconvenience.
In a related development, Pune airport director Santosh Dhoke stated late Monday that IndiGo has curtailed six flight movements from Pune until December 31 for operational reasons. The affected routes include Pune-Varanasi, Varanasi-Pune, Bengaluru-Pune, Pune-Bengaluru, Guwahati-Pune, and Pune-Chennai. Passengers on these flights were asked to contact the airline.
Despite the curtailments, IndiGo later reiterated that operations at Pune had stabilized following the day's crisis. A spokesperson claimed the majority of flights from the city were now on time under a revised schedule, with over 40 flights operating consistently. The airline stated it was working with the airport to publish updated schedules and remained committed to safety and customer service.
