Due to poor visibility from dense fog and smog, flights across North India have been disrupted, with over 125 cancellations already and 8 diversions, which have prompted rapid responses from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Delhi Airport and major airlines.
Over 125 Cancelled Flights and 8 Diverted
On December 29, dense fog and smog caused major disruptions for flights in North East India, with over 125 flights cancelled, 8 diverted, and nearly 200 services delayed at the Delhi airport. According to the flight-tracking website Flightradar24.com, flights had an average departure delay of around 24 minutes, though 64 departures and 64 arrivals were cancelled altogether due to low visibility.
These disruptions aligned with deteriorating air quality, with an average Air Quality Index (AQI) measured in the ‘severe’ category at 402. According to the Air Quality Warning System, the air quality is unlike to change over the next three days, and perhaps experience further fluctuations between ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ in the coming week. Thus, passengers have been encouraged to keep an eye on weather updates and flight status before heading to the airport, with the option to change their flights free of charge.
A Rapid Response
Due to these disruptions, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued a travel advisory, alongside customer support numbers for various airlines. On the app X, the official @MoCA_GoI account shared these numbers with the message:
“Due to fog conditions across parts of Nothern India, flight operations at select airports may be impacted, leading to possible delays. Passengers are advised to say updated though official airline communication channels, allow additional time for airport arrival and check-in procedures, and plan their travel accordingly.”
Moreover, Delhi airport has announced that flights during the poor weather period have been and will continue to be conducted under CAT III conditions, with frequent updates following. Similarly, both IndiGo and Air India have provided consistent updates on X, reassuring that proactive measures have been taken to minimise disruption.
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