Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has issued a warning for significant flight disruptions on Monday morning, attributing the expected chaos to forecasts of dense fog and low visibility. The advisory urges all passengers to verify their flight status directly with their airlines before heading to the terminal.
Multiple Airlines Issue Travel Advisories
Following the airport's alert, several major Indian carriers have proactively communicated potential schedule changes to their passengers. Air India announced anticipated disruptions to its operations across northern India, including Delhi, due to the fog forecast. Similarly, SpiceJet stated that all its flights at the Delhi airport are likely to be affected and advised travelers to check their flight's status and plan accordingly.
IndiGo indicated that its schedules would be impacted, with some flights potentially facing delays and cancellations remaining a possibility. The airline specifically highlighted that operations in and out of Dehradun and Guwahati would be particularly hit. At the time of the initial announcements, IndiGo and Akasa Air had not issued Delhi-specific advisories, but updates were expected later on Sunday night based on the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) forecast.
Chaotic Sunday Sets the Stage
The warning for Monday follows a day of severe travel chaos on Sunday. IndiGo alone cancelled at least 57 flights to major destinations due to adverse weather conditions. Air India also issued a widespread travel advisory on Sunday, citing fog across northern India. This pattern of disruption is becoming a daily challenge during what authorities term the 'fog season.'
Fog Season and Operational Protocols
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has officially declared the period between 10 December and 10 February as the fog season for this winter. During this time, special operational guidelines known as CATIII-B come into effect. These stringent protocols mandate that airlines must roster pilots specifically trained for low-visibility landings and deploy aircraft equipped to handle such conditions. Under CATIII-B, operations are permitted even when the runway visual range drops to as low as 50 metres.
Despite these measures, dense fog continues to severely hamper flight operations almost daily, with the situation expected to persist through the coming weeks. Passengers flying through Delhi and other parts of northern India are strongly advised to stay in close contact with their airlines for real-time updates and factor in possible delays to their travel plans.
