131 Flights Cancelled at Delhi Airport Due to Winter Fog and Low Visibility Conditions

December 10 to February 10 is designated as the official fog window during this winter season.

New Delhi:

Flight operations at Delhi airport faced significant disruption on Tuesday due to low visibility conditions, resulting in 131 flight cancellations, according to a Delhi International Airport Ltd official.

"At Delhi airport, 52 departures and 79 arrivals have been cancelled thus far due to low visibility," the official confirmed.

Northern regions of India, including Delhi which serves as Air India's primary hub, are experiencing reduced visibility caused by dense fog. This weather phenomenon has the potential to create a ripple effect on flight schedules across the entire network.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has officially declared the fog window for this winter to extend from December 10 to February 10 next year.

In a related incident, IndiGo, currently facing operational challenges, cancelled 113 flights throughout its network due to weather-related disruptions at Delhi airport on Tuesday.

The airline further announced that 42 additional flights scheduled for Wednesday would not operate because of adverse weather conditions at Delhi airport.

IndiGo stated in a post on X that as winter approaches, early mornings across northern India typically bring foggy conditions that may occasionally impede flight movements.

"Our teams are thoroughly prepared and vigilantly monitoring weather conditions," IndiGo assured, adding that when possible, "we are implementing thoughtful adjustments on the ground to minimize inconvenience and ensure any waiting periods are as comfortable as possible."

According to fog operations (CAT-111b) regulations, airlines must compulsorily schedule crews who are trained for low-visibility operations, as well as deploy aircraft that are certified for such conditions.

Category-III represents an advanced navigation system enabling aircraft to land during foggy conditions. Category-III-A is a precision instrument approach and landing system that allows aircraft to land with a runway visual range (RVR) of 200 meters, while Category-III-B facilitates landings with an RVR below 50 meters.