Over 100 flights were delayed at Delhi airport Friday morning due to adverse weather. Numerous additional flights also faced scheduling disruptions, causing widespread travel disruptions.
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said “While landing and takeoffs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted,” in a post on X at 6.35am.
The CAT III facility allows aircraft to operate in low-visibility conditions. The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), operated by DIAL, handles around 1,300 flight movements daily. IndiGo and low-cost carrier SpiceJet also cautioned against weather delays on the social media.
Thick smog engulfed Delhi, prompting warnings of possible flight disruptions from airport and airline officials, as worsening air quality cut visibility to zero in some areas. The official, however, said that despite the dense fog resulting in low visibility in Delhi, no flights have been diverted so far.
Delhi, battling smog and poor air quality since the beginning of winter, ranked third among the world’s most polluted capitals in rankings by Swiss group IQAir. New Delhi’s air quality was rated “very poor” on Friday, with an index score of 351, the country’s top pollution control body said, well beyond the levels from zero to 50 that it considers “good”.
