Delhi airport operations hit as dense fog blankets city; airlines issue advisory

Delhi woke up to a thick layer of smog on Monday as the air quality remained in the “severe” category across the National Capital Region (NCR).

Visibility dropped sharply in several parts of the city. A dense haze was suspended in the air, making it to see even a short distance ahead and affecting early morning movement.

According to media reports, the low visibility has hit operations at the Indira Gandhi International airport, prompting airlines to issue travel advisories. Several flights in the early morning hours have been delayed.

“Due to dense fog, flight operations are currently under CAT III conditions, which may lead to delays or disruptions,” the Delhi airport said in an advisory.

IndiGo and Air India have issued travel advisories, warning that the weather situation could impact flight schedules and cause inconvenience to passengers travelling to and from Delhi. 

“Due to dense fog in Delhi this morning, visibility has reduced drastically, impacting flight operations. As a precaution, some flights may be proactively cancelled through the day to prioritise safety and help minimise extended waiting at the airport,” IndiGo said in a statement.

“We understand how inconvenient this can be, especially when travel plans are important. Please be assured that our teams across airports are working continuously to manage operations as smoothly as possible, and keep you informed as the situation evolves,” it said.

IndiGo, the country's largest airline that generally operates around 2,300 flights per day, had faced heat over massive flight disruptions earlier this month after its failure to plan properly for the new flight duty norms.

Air India has also issued a similar advisory, urging travellers to stay updated on their flight status through the official website.

"Travel Advisory: Poor visibility due to dense fog is impacting flight operations in Delhi and parts of Northern India. Please check your flight status at: https://www.airindia.com/in/en/manage/flight-status.html before heading to the airport,” it said in a post on X.

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) on Monday was recorded at 452 at around 8 am, placing it in the "Severe" category.