All Indigo flights to and from Ranchi, Jharkhand were cancelled on Monday because of low visibility caused by dense fog, the airline has announced in a social media post on its official account on X. Flyers affected by these cancellations have also been offered options to reschedule or cancel their tickets without additional charges.
The adverse weather condition has led to the formation of a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal that has brought showers to Ranchi and other parts of Jharkhand on early Monday morning. This sudden change in the weather conditions also indicates the arrival of winter season in the region.
Meanwhile, as winter engulfs northern India, dense fog along with smog has formed major challenges for the aviation industry, leading to cancellations, diversions, and delays in large numbers. Major airlines like Indigo, SpiceJet, and Air India have taken precautionary measures to tackle the situation and minimize the disruptions and prioritizing passenger safety.
Indigo has given training to 80% of its pilots for operating under CAT III conditions, under which flights will be allowed to land in almost zero visibility. The remaining number of pilots of the airline are currently undergoing comprehensive training. Indigo’s Airbus fleet is armed with CAT III technology, because of this reason flights will be able to make accurate landings even when visibility is below 75 meters. The airline has also deployed more station crew in nearby hotels in case of emergency. More fuel reserves for flights have been ensured. Timely updates from experienced meteorologists will also be taken and it will help in making flight adjustments in advance.
According to the in charge of Ranchi Meteorological Centre, Abhishek Anand, ‘’the weather is expected to clear from Tuesday with chances of light fog during the morning hours. The minimum temperatures are forecast to drop by 4-5 degrees Celsius for the next couple of days.’’