Dense Fog Disrupts Air Travel in North India; Over 100 Flights Cancelled, 200+ Delayed
On Friday, air travel in vast regions of North India took a nosedive as heavy mists and very low visibility levels caused flight activities to be brought to a standstill, resulting in over 100 flights being cancelled and over 200 being delayed. The blow was the greatest to the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in Delhi, which is one of the busiest aviation hubs in India, with the ripple effects experienced in other airports within Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
The airport officials reported that visibility rates decreased severely in the early morning, and sometimes dropped to below the minimum level needed to have safe take-offs and landings. Consequently, the schedules of flights were seriously affected even when the low-visibility procedures were introduced. Some arrivals and departures were rerouted, and some were postponed or cancelled because of operational reasons.
IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, Akasa Air, and Vistara have issued travel advice to their customers to ensure they check the flight status before travelling to the airport. IndiGo alone has already cancelled dozens of flights, precautionary, referring to the safety concerns due to constantly unfavourable weather conditions. Airport authorities highlighted that the safety of passengers was the highest priority, even when it required massive inconveniences.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had made previous predictions that were characterized by very thick fogs in certain parts of North India, and issued the warning to Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and the surrounding areas. The fog, coupled with the cold weather and no winds, meant that there was a near-zero visibility in certain places, especially in the late night and early mornings.
According to the confirmation of authorities at the Delhi Airport, although the airport was operating, most flights were affected, but those flights that could not have CAT III landing systems, which enable aircraft to land in much lower visibility. Aircraft that have superior landing skills also experience delays in air traffic jams and spacing during the presence of fog.
Passengers were complaining of long queues, cancellations without any prior notice, and confusion on rescheduled flights. Most travellers complained of having to sit at the terminals and spent hours in the process; others had their travel arrangements otherwise hampered. Airlines said that ground staff were also used to help passengers with rebooking, refunds, and updates, but the number of affected flights made it difficult to handle them smoothly.
The other means of transport were also not spared from the fog, with lesser visibility on highways and railway routes in North India. But aviation was the one that suffered the most because of the strict safety measures taken on how aircraft are operated when there is bad weather.
According to weather analysts, this kind of disturbance is not new over the winter months in North India, especially in the months of December and January. Episodes of dense fogs have increased and extended in recent years, and they are often aggravated by pollution, humidity and still atmospheric conditions. The IMD has cautioned that the same misty weather could continue into the following days, and as such, travel delays could continue to happen.
The government has recommended that people should be flexible when making travel plans, keep in touch with the airlines and always plan to give time to airport processes. It is also recommended that travellers book their flights later in the day because the weather is usually better after the sun rises.
With winter only tightening its grip on the area, airlines and the operators of the airports are keeping a very vigilant eye on the new difficulties. In the meantime, it is recommended that the passengers remain updated and ready since dense fog remains a challenge in driving the strength of the aviation network in North India.
