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Dense fog grounds Delhi Airport, forcing 131 flights to be cancelled and IndiGo suspends more services. With winter fog and poor air quality plaguing the city, how long will travellers face delays and Delhi breathe through the smog?
Dense fog led to major disruptions at Delhi airport on Tuesday
New Delhi: Dense fog conditions on Tuesday caused massive disruptions at Delhi Airport, forcing airlines to cancel numerous flights. According to officials from Delhi International Airport Ltd, 131 flights were cancelled- 52 departures and 79 arrivals due to severely low visibility affecting operations.
Northern India, including Delhi, frequently experiences dense fog during winter, which hampers flight schedules and often creates a ripple effect across airline networks.
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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has officially designated December 10 to February 10 as the winter “fog window,” when such disruptions are most likely.
IndiGo reported that 113 flights were cancelled on Tuesday due to adverse weather at Delhi Airport. The airline further announced that 42 flights on Wednesday would not operate because of continued low-visibility conditions.
In a statement on X, IndiGo said, “As winter sets in, early mornings across northern India can bring fog that may occasionally slow down flight movements. Our teams are closely monitoring weather conditions and making adjustments to reduce inconvenience for passengers.”
Airlines operating in foggy conditions must follow Category III B (CAT III B) procedures, which require specially trained crew and aircraft equipped for low-visibility landings. Category III A allows landings with a runway visual range of up to 200 metres, while Category III B supports landings in conditions where visibility drops below 50 metres. These procedures ensure passenger safety but can limit flight schedules and increase delays.
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While fog affected flights, it also coincided with Delhi’s air quality concerns. On Tuesday, air pollution saw a marginal improvement, pushed slightly lower by stronger winds and thinning fog. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 354, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category.
Of the 39 active monitoring stations in Delhi, Mundka recorded ‘severe’ AQI at 407, 35 stations were in the ‘very poor’ range, and three stations recorded ‘poor’ levels. The Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) at Dilshad Garden recorded the lowest AQI of 280.
Authorities continue to monitor both flight operations and air quality, urging commuters and travelers to stay updated and exercise caution amid winter fog and pollution.
