Heavy fog has severely disrupted air travel in and out of India's capital, causing significant delays and schedule adjustments at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Thursday, 19 December. The sudden drop in visibility has forced airport authorities to implement special low-visibility procedures, impacting thousands of passengers.
Airlines and Airport Issue Urgent Passenger Advisories
In response to the challenging weather, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) issued a crucial advisory on Friday morning. The airport operator confirmed that all flight operations were being conducted under CAT III conditions due to the dense fog. This specific protocol is used when visibility drops dramatically, allowing only aircraft and pilots equipped for such scenarios to operate. DIAL explicitly warned passengers about resultant disruptions and strongly advised them to contact their respective airlines for real-time updates on their flight schedules before heading to the airport.
Government and Airlines Spring into Action
The airport's warning followed an earlier alert from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA). The Ministry took to social media platform X to caution the public about the heavy fog blanket over Northern India. MoCA stated that these conditions were actively affecting airport operations. They recommended that travelers allow for extra time in their journeys to avoid missing flights and to stay updated through official channels. Passenger facilitation teams have been positioned across affected airports to assist travelers facing difficulties.
Major Indian carriers have proactively communicated with their passengers. Airlines including IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, and SpiceJet have all released travel advisories concerning the fog-related disruptions originating from Delhi. The problem is not confined to the national capital alone. A day earlier, on 18 December, IndiGo had also reported that dense fog was hampering flight operations at several other airports, notably in Chandigarh, Ranchi, Patna, Gorakhpur, and Varanasi.
What Passengers Need to Do
For passengers booked on flights from North India, the current situation demands careful planning. The collective advice from authorities and airlines is clear:
- Check Flight Status: Continuously monitor your flight's status via the airline's official website, app, or customer service.
- Plan for Delays: Allocate considerable additional time for your travel to the airport, as road travel may also be affected.
- Avoid Inconvenience: Do not rely on the original schedule; assume there will be delays until confirmed otherwise by the airline.
The onset of winter fog is an annual challenge for aviation in northern India, but today's conditions have proven particularly disruptive, leading to a cascade of delays and highlighting the importance of passenger preparedness during the season.
