Fog Triggers Major Flight Disruptions at Delhi Airport; Poor AQI Continues

Flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport faced heavy disruption on Wednesday after dense fog and poor visibility affected runway operations through the morning. As many as 148 flights were cancelled on December 31, including 70 departures and 78 arrivals. Two flights were diverted due to unsafe landing conditions, according to airport sources.

Visibility levels remained critically low during early hours, creating challenges for pilots and ground staff. At around 8.30 am, general visibility dropped to nearly 250 metres. Runway visibility ranged between 600 and 1,000 metres, forcing airlines to cancel or delay multiple services.

Foggy Weather Persists Across Delhi-NCR

Dense fog covered large parts of Delhi-NCR, sharply reducing visibility on roads and at transport hubs. The India Meteorological Department warned that foggy conditions would continue through the day. While air quality showed slight improvement, it remained a major concern for the capital.

Delhi recorded a 24-hour average Air Quality Index of 388 on Tuesday, placing it firmly in the ‘very poor’ category. This marked a marginal improvement from Monday’s AQI of 401, as per Central Pollution Control Board data.

Air Quality Likely to Worsen Further

The Air Quality Early Warning System issued a fresh alert, predicting that pollution levels may slip into the ‘severe’ category on December 31 and January 1. Air quality is expected to ease back to ‘very poor’ on January 2 and remain at similar levels for nearly a week.

Officials blamed weak atmospheric conditions for the poor outlook. The ventilation index stayed below 6,000 square metres per second. Wind speeds remained under 10 kmph, limiting the dispersion of pollutants and trapping haze over the region.

Fog Slows Road Traffic and Regional Airports

The impact of fog extended beyond aviation. Several areas in Noida and Ghaziabad witnessed low visibility on major roads. Commuters relied heavily on headlights and fog lamps to navigate through dense mist. Similar conditions prevailed across central and east Delhi.

Fog also disrupted operations at Hindon Airport, where flights faced schedule changes and slower departures. Airport authorities advised passengers to check flight status before leaving home.

Airlines Issue Advisories to Passengers

Delhi Airport released a passenger advisory urging travellers to stay updated on flight schedules. Airlines remained on high alert as conditions showed little improvement.

Air India warned of cascading delays across northern India and confirmed advance cancellation of select morning flights. IndiGo also cautioned passengers about possible disruptions and said it was closely monitoring visibility and weather conditions.

With dense fog and cold weather persisting, travellers are advised to plan journeys carefully and stay informed.

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