Dense fog wreaked havoc at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) on Friday, causing massive disruptions to air travel. The severe weather conditions led to the cancellation of at least 177 flights and delays for more than 500 services, according to officials cited in a PTI report.
Operational Meltdown and Passenger Advisory
An official confirmed that the cancellations impacted both departing and arriving flights, including a number of international services. Data from the flight tracking website Flightradar24 indicated that close to 500 flights were delayed throughout the day as pilots and airport authorities grappled with dangerously poor visibility.
The Civil Aviation Ministry stated it was in close coordination with the India Meteorological Department (IMD), with all operational decisions being guided by real-time weather forecasts. In a post on social media platform X, the ministry announced that airlines were proactively cancelling certain flights and notifying passengers in advance to prevent unnecessary travel to the airports.
The ministry assured that affected passengers were being offered full refunds or free rescheduling of their tickets. Furthermore, instructions were issued to all airport directors to ensure adequate facilities and support for stranded travelers.
Airlines and Airport Respond to Crisis
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the operator of IGIA, provided updates throughout the day. In an evening post on X at 7:10 PM, DIAL stated that airport operations were running normally without disruption. However, it noted that flights continued to operate under CAT III conditions, a special protocol for low-visibility landings.
Earlier, DIAL had acknowledged that while both arrivals and departures were occurring, many flights were experiencing significant delays and disruptions. Major airlines were forced to take drastic measures.
Air India Express cancelled multiple flights from Delhi to key destinations including Pune, Ranchi, Bagdogra, Indore, Patna, Goa, Varanasi, and Jodhpur, directly blaming the persistent fog. Competitor IndiGo also issued warnings about slower operations, citing fluctuating visibility over the Delhi NCR region and other parts of North India. The airline confirmed changes to its flight schedule, emphasizing that ground teams were strictly prioritizing safety and adhering to all visibility norms.
Scale of the Disruption
The impact was magnified by the sheer volume of traffic at the facility. Indira Gandhi International Airport, the nation's busiest aviation hub, typically handles approximately 1,300 flight movements every single day. The fog-related disruptions therefore affected a substantial portion of the national air traffic, causing ripple effects across the country's network.
The incident highlights the ongoing vulnerability of India's aviation infrastructure to seasonal weather patterns and underscores the importance of passenger communication and contingency planning during such widespread operational challenges.
