Air India has issued a crucial travel advisory for its passengers, strongly recommending they verify their flight's latest status before heading to airports. This move comes as dense fog and poor visibility are severely disrupting flight operations across several regions.
Proactive Measures and Passenger Support
The national carrier warned that the current adverse weather could have a cascading effect on its entire network, potentially leading to significant delays, diversions, and even cancellations. The airline emphasized it is monitoring the situation round-the-clock and has implemented several steps to lessen passenger inconvenience.
"We are closely monitoring the situation and have taken some proactive measures to minimise disruptions," the airline stated in its advisory. It assured travellers that ground staff will be available to assist guests in case of any unexpected schedule changes.
Under its special FogCare initiative, passengers booked on flights likely to be impacted by fog are receiving advance alerts. These communications provide options to either reschedule the journey without any extra charges or cancel the ticket for a full refund, free from penalties.
Delhi's Fog and Worsening Air Quality
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast dense fog during Wednesday morning hours in Delhi and issued a yellow alert for the capital. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to be around 16 and 7 degrees Celsius respectively, with cold day conditions likely to continue.
Simultaneously, Delhi's air quality deteriorated further. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) plummeted to 310, falling into the 'very poor' category, a significant drop from Monday's reading of 244. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board showed that 27 monitoring stations reported 'very poor' air, with Mundka recording the worst AQI at 369 on Tuesday evening.
Widespread Cold Wave and Fog Forecast
The IMD's bulletin indicates that cold wave conditions are very likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Odisha from January 7 to 9. States like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh are also expected to experience similar conditions later this week.
Furthermore, dense to very dense fog is predicted during morning hours across northwest, central, eastern, and northeastern India for the next five to seven days. Specific alerts for dense fog have been issued for Punjab and Haryana-Chandigarh between January 7 and 9.
In Jharkhand, where a cold wave alert is active, temperatures plunged below 10 degrees Celsius in ten districts on Tuesday, highlighting the intensity of the ongoing winter spell.
