India is set to mark its 75th Republic Day next week, with French President Emmanuel Macron gracing the occasion as the chief guest. This will mark the sixth instance of a French leader being honoured at the Republic Day parade.
In light of the upcoming celebrations, a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the government specifies that no flights will be permitted to land or take off at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport from 10:20 am to 12:45 pm until January 26.
The change in schedules is expected to cause air travel delays and flight-management-related issues as the flights will have to be adjusted into other time slots.
Additionally, airspace restrictions will remain in place until January 29, coinciding with the Beating Retreat ceremony on Delhi's Vijay Chowk.
Furthermore, Delhi airport is slated for a complete closure – with no flights allowed to operate – from 6 am to 9 pm on Republic Day.
It's important to note that these restrictions will not impact helicopter operations conducted by the Air Force, Army, or Border Security Force, nor will they affect aircraft operated by the central government ferrying the Governor or Chief Minister of a state.
This temporary shutdown of operations at one of the world's busiest airports is a customary measure as the capital tightens security ahead of Republic Day celebrations.
However, the 145-minute daily closure over the next week may pose challenges to commercial schedules, particularly following weeks of disruptions caused by heavy fog, leading to delays, diversions, and cancellations of numerous flights.
Online visuals depicting the chaos went viral, with a notable incident being the shocking assault on an IndiGo flight captain by an irate passenger on the Delhi-Goa service after a nearly 13-hour delay.
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