Flight operations at IGI disrupted by dense fog, 200+ delays reported

Flight operations at IGI disrupted by dense fog, 200+ delays reported 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  02.01.2025

New Delhi : Dense fog at Indira Gandhi International Airport disrupted flight operations on Wednesday morning. Visibility dropped to 100 metres for about two hours, causing several flight delays. However, no flights were diverted or cancelled due to low visibility. According to FlightRadar24, over 200 flights experienced delays, with the average delay being 18 minutes. 

RK Jenamani, senior scientist at India Meteorological Department (IMD), said, “The visibility was 100 metres at IGI Airport for nearly two hours, from 5 am to 7 am, on Wednesday. However, the runway visibility range was low at only one runway at 500 metres.” He added that no significant dense fog was observed at Palam this year due to frequent winds. “The wind conditions observed mostly in Dec eroded the fog layer in Delhi,” said Jenamani. An airport official said, “No flight was diverted to any other city due to fog. Some flights were also delayed due to weather conditions at the origin airport.” Delhi Airport wrote on X: “While landings and takeoffs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience is deeply regretted.” IMD has issued a yellow alert for moderate fog at most places and dense fog at isolated locations on Thursday. “Fog may affect some airports, highways, and railway routes. It causes difficult driving conditions with slower journey times,” IMD stated. 

Met department advised caution while driving or travelling and staying updated with airlines, railways, or state transport regarding journey schedules. Officials noted that the airport initiates low visibility procedures (LVP) when visibility drops below 800 metres. During such periods, CAT-I procedures apply for visibility above 550 metres. Pilots compliant with CAT-II can land when visibility is between 275-550 metres, while CAT-III  A and B pilots can land in conditions with visibility below 275 metres and even as low as 50 metres.