The Delhi Airport on Tuesday issued a passenger advisory as thick smog blanketed the national capital, disrupting flight operations.
The advisory comes after dense fog on Monday led to the cancellation of over 200 flights and the diversion of a few to nearby airports due to low visibility, a Delhi airport official told PTI.
On Tuesday, Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport issued an advisory saying that the flight operations were returning to normal, although some disruptions persisted due to the foggy conditions.
“Flight operations are steadily recovering, but disruptions may persist for certain departures and arrivals. For accurate and timely updates, please contact your airline directly,” it said.
Authorities further assured passengers of assistance across terminals.
“Our personnel are available across terminals to assist passengers and provide necessary support. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding,” said the advisory.
IndiGo issues advisory
Crisis-hit IndiGo, which also cancelled several flights on Monday, issued an update on Tuesday about the Delhi fog situation.
“As winter sets in, early mornings across Northern India can bring fog that may occasionally slow down flight movements. We wanted to share this gentle heads-up in advance, so you can plan with ease and check your flight status before heading to the airport,” it said.
IndiGo added that its officials were closely monitoring the weather.
“Wherever possible, we are making thoughtful adjustments on the ground to reduce inconvenience and ensure any waiting time is as comfortable as possible,” it said.
200+ flights cancelled on Monday
As many as 228 flights were cancelled due to dense fog in Delhi on Monday, an official told PTI.
Five other flights were diverted to nearby airports for landing due to low visibility, the official at IGI Airport added.
However, except for Air India, which announced the cancellation of some 40 flights in a morning post on X, no other airlines, including IndiGo, disclosed the number of their cancelled or delayed flights.
The airport official said: “As many as 228 flights -- 131 departures and 97 arrivals-- have been cancelled due to low visibility, so far”.
Additionally, five flights were diverted.
Centre steps up
The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Monday stepped up its monitoring of flight operations amid ongoing flight cancellations at Delhi Airport.
In a post on X, the ministry said that senior officials visited the Airport Operations Control Centre on Monday to review real-time operations and assess the situation on the ground.
"In view of the prevailing fog conditions at Delhi Airport, senior officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation visited the Airport Operations Control Centre and reviewed real-time operations," the ministry said. It added that “Airports have been instructed to maintain close coordination with stakeholders, ensure timely dissemination of information, and facilitate passenger convenience. Passenger safety and smooth operations remain our top priority.”
Delhi's IGI Airport is the country's busiest, handling around 1,300 flights daily.
