Listen To This Post
New Delhi: Flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport were severely disrupted on Monday morning as dense fog enveloped the national capital and large parts of northern India, leading to the cancellation of 128 flights and diversion of eight others, airport sources said.
According to officials, 64 arriving and 64 departing flights were cancelled at the country’s busiest airport as visibility dropped sharply during the early morning hours. Eight flights were diverted to alternate airports due to unsafe landing conditions.
In an advisory, the airport operator, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), said flight operations were continuing under Category III (CAT III) conditions. “Due to persistent dense fog, flight operations continue to remain under CAT III conditions, which may result in flight delays. Our teams are working closely with all stakeholders to minimise inconvenience to passengers,” DIAL said.
Airports certified for CAT III operations allow aircraft equipped with specialised landing systems and trained crews to operate in extremely low visibility. However, such conditions significantly reduce runway capacity, limiting the number of aircraft that can land or take off and resulting in cascading delays.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation also issued an advisory warning that fog could affect flight operations at several airports across northern India, leading to possible delays and cancellations.
Airlines issued passenger advisories cautioning about disruptions. In a post on X, IndiGo urged travellers to check flight status before heading to the airport and to allow extra time for travel, as fog was also affecting road traffic.
“Fog continues to persist across Delhi and several airports in northern India. Visibility remains reduced, and as a result, flight movements are slower than normal, with some delays. We are sequencing departures and arrivals to maintain orderly operations,” the airline said.
Aviation officials noted that repeated spells of low visibility over the past few weeks have led to frequent delays, diversions and cancellations—particularly during early morning hours—highlighting the annual operational challenge posed by winter fog in northern India.
