Amidst the chilly weather conditions that enveloped the national capital on Tuesday (January 16), approximately 30 flights departing from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport faced delays, while an additional 17 were canceled due to challenging weather conditions, as reported by airport officials.
In response to the weather challenges, the Delhi airport promptly issued an advisory, highlighting the ongoing low visibility procedures. Despite the conditions, the advisory reassured that all flight operations were presently normal, urging passengers to seek updated flight information directly from their respective airlines.
DGCA asks airlines to share real-time information
In an email communication to airlines, the aviation regulator mandated the immediate sharing of precise, real-time information regarding flight delays with passengers. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation emphasised that airlines have the responsibility to promptly communicate any anticipated or consequential delays, especially those exceeding a 3-hour threshold due to weather conditions.
The directive further stated that airlines are encouraged to proactively cancel such flights well in advance to mitigate airport congestion. The email, released publicly on Monday, underscores the regulator’s commitment to enhancing transparency and communication between airlines and passengers in cases of flight disruptions.
Low visibility in north India
In the latest update from the Indian Meteorological Department, both Palam and Safdarjung airports in Delhi have reported a visibility of 500 meters. The weather department, communicating through ‘X,’ stated, “Delhi Palam (VIDP) and Safdarjung Airports are reporting 500 m visibilities at 0530 hrs IST of today, the 16th January.”
Fog conditions are classified as ‘shallow’ when visibility reaches up to 500 meters, while ‘moderate’ fog occurs when visibility remains up to 200 meters. The current visibility of 50 meters categorizes the fog as ‘dense,’ and it escalates to ‘very dense’ when visibility drops below 50 meters. Notably, on Monday, several locations, including Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan, Patiala, Ambala, Chandigarh, Palam, Safdarjung (New Delhi), Bareilly, Lucknow, Bahraich, Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Tezpur, recorded ‘zero’ visibility for the first time this winter season, as reported by the weather department.