Chandigarh Airport Gripped by Fog Chaos, Flight Operations Severely Hit
Chandigarh's Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport faced its worst flight disruption of the season on Friday. Dense fog and poor visibility threw air traffic into complete disarray, causing widespread inconvenience for travelers.
A total of 18 flights were cancelled outright, while 48 others suffered delays. One flight had to be diverted to another airport. This severe impact on connectivity left thousands of passengers stranded and frustrated throughout the day.
Morning and Evening Peak Hours Bear the Brunt
Airport officials confirmed that arrivals and departures remained affected from morning till night. The heaviest disruption occurred during the busy morning and evening peak hours.
On the arrivals side, five morning flights and six evening flights were cancelled. Departures did not fare any better. Three morning departures and three evening departures were also cancelled, adding to the growing chaos at the terminal.
Departure Delays Stretch for Hours
Departing flights suffered the most significant delays. Several aircraft took off hours behind their original schedules.
Major delays included:
- Four morning flights to Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, and Hyderabad were delayed by more than six hours each.
- An evening flight to Srinagar was also delayed by over six hours.
- Two flights bound for Kolkata and Delhi faced delays exceeding five hours.
- The remaining delayed departures operated anywhere from 40 minutes to four hours late.
International Flights Also Affected
International operations were not spared from the fog-induced chaos. Two outbound flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi departed nearly 50 minutes late. These delays caused some passengers to miss their connecting flights at their destinations.
Arriving Flights Face Long Delays
Incoming flights also saw significant hold-ups. Three flights, including two from Delhi and one from Chennai, arrived more than four hours late.
Flights originating from Mumbai, Indore, and Goa reached Chandigarh over three hours behind schedule. Other arrivals experienced delays ranging from 40 minutes to over two hours.
In a notable incident, an IndiGo flight from Hyderabad, numbered 6E108, failed to land due to inadequate visibility. It was ultimately diverted to Jaipur airport.
Airport Authorities Cite Winter Fog
Airport authorities directly attributed this large-scale disruption to the dense fog and low visibility. These conditions are typical for the region during the winter months.
Officials stated that airline staff and airport teams worked tirelessly through the day. They managed long passenger queues and provided assistance wherever possible. However, the prolonged nature of the delays led to considerable hardship for travelers.
Passenger Frustration Mounts
Passengers at the airport expressed deep frustration over the repeated disruptions. Many complained about long, uncertain waits and a lack of timely updates from airlines. Several travelers missed their onward connecting journeys because of the delays.
With foggy conditions expected to persist in the coming days, authorities have issued a clear advisory. They are urging all travelers to check their flight status directly with their airlines before leaving for the airport.
Rail Services Also Disrupted by Fog
The dense fog blanketing northern India did not spare the railways. Several long-distance and premium trains arriving at Chandigarh railway station were also delayed on Friday.
Reports indicate nine trains were running behind schedule, while one service was cancelled entirely.
Notable train delays included:
- The Amb Andaura–Chandigarh Vande Bharat Express (22447) arrived about 1 hour and 41 minutes late.
- The morning Kalka Shatabdi (12011) reached nearly two hours behind schedule.
- The evening Kalka Shatabdi (12005) was delayed by over an hour.
- Trains from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar faced even longer delays. The Lucknow–Chandigarh Superfast Express (15011) arrived roughly 1 hour and 44 minutes late.
- The Sadbhavna Express (12231) reached approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes behind its scheduled time.
Other affected services included the Unchahaar Express and the Howrah–Chandigarh Netaji Express, which were delayed by over an hour each.
Railway officials confirmed that reduced visibility due to the dense fog was the primary cause of these delays. They have similarly advised passengers to check for updated train schedules before commencing their travel.
