A total of 462 departing flights—roughly 70% of all scheduled take-offs—were delayed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Monday due to a combination of adverse weather and ongoing runway repairs. Additionally, around half of all incoming flights also experienced delays, according to real-time data from Flightradar24.

Delhi airport issued three advisories through the day, alerting passengers about possible disruptions. “Due to shifting wind patterns in the vicinity of the airport, certain airline operations may experience delays,” read a statement posted on X by IGI Airport Monday afternoon.

Authorities explained that the delays were caused by an early onset of easterly winds—unexpected for this time of year—and the simultaneous upgradation work on Runway 10/28. The runway work, intended to boost low-visibility handling capabilities, was originally scheduled based on forecasts that easterly winds would begin after May 15. However, the shift in wind patterns arrived early, in mid-April, disrupting those plans.

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During easterly wind conditions, the airport’s capacity drops to 32 landings per hour, significantly lower than the 46 arrivals possible with westerly winds.

To manage the congestion, Air Traffic Control implemented special air traffic flow measures between 10:30 AM and 6:30 PM on Monday and again from 10:30 PM to 2:30 AM on Tuesday, prioritizing passenger safety.

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Last week, amid rising public criticism—including a sharp post from J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah—the airport authorities postponed the runway upgradation work to June and decided to reopen the runway earlier than planned, in May, to ease congestion. They had also warned travelers of possible disruptions due to easterly winds expected between April 26 and May 4, based on forecasts from the India Meteorological Department.