The Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, Delhi, today witnessed many flights affected due to the dense fog and resultant poor visibility. Reportedly, the airport authority cancelled 10 flights, including six arriving and four departing ones, and delayed more than 270 flights. Flight tracking information provided by the website Flightradar24.com indicated that the average departure delay was approximately 29 minutes.
Passenger advisory issued
During the early hours of the morning, visibility reduced to a mere 100 meters on some runways, leading the IGI Airport officials to release a passenger advisory. “Flight operations are currently conducted under CAT II conditions due to dense fog, which may result in delays and cancellations,” GMR Airport, which owns IGI Airport, announced. Passengers were advised to check with the airline about the status of flights.
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Nevertheless, airport authorities confirmed later in the day that everything was going as planned. “However, some flight departures for certain destinations may be impacted,” they said.
Airlines warn passengers of flight disruptions
IndiGo issued a travel alert for flights originating from or destined for Pragyaraj, Ayodhya, and Pantnagar due to fluctuating visibility caused by the entry of the chilling winter fog. The airline posted on X, "Pragyaraj, Ayodhya and Pantnagar continue to remain wrapped in chilly winter air and lingering fog this morning. The fluctuating visibility has led to changes in flight schedules, and operations may be slower than usual as conditions evolve.”
Likewise, SpiceJet issued an advisory notice regarding the possibility of disruption in various airports, including Delhi, Varanasi, Bagdogra, Gorakhpur, Patna, Amritsar, Jammu, Ayodhya, and Darbhanga. Here, the airline mentioned the possibility of departures and arrivals being affected because of low visibility resulting from fog.
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Reportedly, IndiGo had cancelled more than 20 flights on Tuesday without citing reasons. Delhi Airport had already seen disruptions on Monday, with 14 cancelled flights and over 500 delayed flights, including overseas ones.
What are CAT-III Operations?
IGI Airport has a CAT III Instrument Landing System (ILS) and Approach Lighting Systems, which enable planes to land safely in low visibility, such as in cases of fog and heavy rainfall. However, to use CAT III, specialised pilots and planes are required, and it offers RVR between 50 and 200 meters, which assists planes in landing in winter fog.
