Flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) were significantly disrupted on Saturday (January 4) as dense fog blanketed North India. The heavy fog reduced visibility, causing delays and temporary holds on both departures and arrivals. As many as 19 flights were diverted at the Delhi airport early Saturday morning. Out of them, 13 were domestic, 4 international and 2 non-scheduled flights.
According to FlightRadar24, Delhi Airport reported an average delay of 35 minutes for arriving flights and 36 minutes for departures as of 11 am. As many as 389 flights have been delayed and 50 cancelled so far at IGI Airport. The country’s largest airline IndiGo had temporarily put arrivals and departures on hold at the airport early in the morning.
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) confirmed the impact on flight schedules, issuing a statement to passengers. “Due to dense fog, flight operations are impacted at Delhi Airport. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight operation. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted,” DIAL wrote on X.
Major airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, also alerted passengers about potential delays. IndiGo announced, “Departures and arrivals at #DelhiAirport are currently on hold due to reduced visibility. Once operations resume, flights may still encounter delays due to airside congestion.” Similarly, Air India informed its customers, stating, “Poor visibility due to dense fog is affecting flight operations in Delhi and parts of northern India.”
The foggy conditions are expected to persist, further complicating air travel in the region. Passengers are advised to stay updated with their respective airlines for the latest information on flight schedules.