Kolkata airport authorities have announced a suspension of flight operations for 15 hours, starting at 6 PM on Thursday, due to the anticipated effects of Cyclone Dana, according to an official statement. This precautionary measure aims to ensure the safety of passengers, airline personnel, equipment, navigational aids, and infrastructure, as noted by an Airports Authority of India (AAI) official on Wednesday.
“In view of Cyclone DANA’s impact on the coastal region of West Bengal, including Kolkata, it has been decided to suspend the flight operations from 1800 IST on 24.10.2024 to 0900 IST on 25.10.2024 due to predicted heavy winds and heavy to very heavy rainfall at Kolkata,” Kolkata Airport said in an advisory on X.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the cyclone is expected to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra port in neighboring Odisha early Friday, with maximum wind speeds reaching around 120 km/h during the landfall.
IndiGo issues advisory
Meanwhile, IndiGo also issued an advisory for its passengers and warned of possible delays due to heavy rainfall and thunderstorm. “Due to heavy rains and thunderstorms predicted for the 24th and 25th of Oct, flights to/from #Kolkata & #Bhubaneshwar may be impacted. We kindly request you to stay updated on your flight status via https://bit.ly/3DNYJqj,” the airline said in a post on X.