With a thick blanket of fog enveloping Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Haryana, J&K and other parts of north India, at least 128 flights were cancelled on Monday and 200 delayed at the Delhi airport.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation issued a warning about potential flight delays in the coming days at select airports in the north due to dense fog conditions, with visibility dropping to just 50 meters at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
In a post on X, the ministry also advised passengers to stay updated through official airline communication channels and plan their travel accordingly.
“Due to fog conditions across parts of Northern India, flight operations at select airports may be impacted, leading to possible delays. Passengers are advised to stay updated through official airline communication channels, allow additional time for airport arrival and check-in procedures, and plan their travel accordingly. Airline Customer Support Numbers: IndiGo: 0124 497 3838, Air India: 011 6932 9333, SpiceJet: +91 (0)124 498 3410 / +91 (0)124 710 1600, Air India Express: +91 124 443 5600 / +91 124 693 5600, Akasa Air: 9606 112 131, Alliance Air: 044 3511 3511,” the post said.
Meanwhile, an official at the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said 64 departures and 64 arrivals were cancelled, while eight flights got diverted due to dense fog and low visibility conditions at the Delhi airport on Monday.
In a post on X, DIAL said runway visibility was improving, but some flight departures and arrivals may be impacted.
Information on the flight-tracking website Flightradar24.com showed that nearly 200 flights had been delayed, with an average departure delay of around 24 minutes.
Airlines such as IndiGo and Air India also issued advisories warning passengers of potential disruptions, advising them to check their flight status before heading to the airport while the airlines closely monitor the situation and make operational adjustments.
Also Read: Cold, fog add to Delhi residents’ woes; AQI back to severe
“Fog continues to persist across Delhi and several airports in northern India. Visibility remains reduced and, as a result, flight movements are presently slower than normal, with some delays being experienced,” IndiGo said in a post on X.
DIAL operates the national capital’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), which handles around 1,300 flight movements daily. The airport is operating under Category-III conditions, which allow flights to land in low visibility.
Nearly 65 per cent delay in departures from the IGI Airport as of early Monday morning included diversion of an Air India Express flight from Goa, which was forced to land in Ahmedabad after failing to land in Delhi and Jaipur due to congestion and fog. It had departed from Goa’s Mopa Airport at 11.55 pm for Delhi, but had to be diverted to Ahmedabad due to dense fog in the capital.
On the roads too, chilly weather and dense fog sharply reduced visibility, forcing many motorists to kept their headlights on.
The city’s temperature hovered around 22.5 degrees Celsius, while its air quality deteriorated further this morning with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 402 at 8 am and entering the ‘severe’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
According to the CPCB, several areas across the city recorded worse air quality, with AQI levels exceeding 400. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 455, while Bawana registered 411. Several other locations across the capital also witnessed severe pollution levels. Areas such as Wazirpur (443), Rohini (442), Punjabi Bagh (426), and Patparganj (431) saw further deterioration in air quality, with readings entering the ‘severe’ category, according to CPCB data.
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