Severe foggy conditions led to massive disruptions at Chennai airport on Tuesday morning, causing over 40 flight delays and multiple diversions. Poor visibility forced several aircraft to circle above the airport while awaiting landing clearance, while some flights were redirected to alternate airports. Departures were also significantly affected, with delays of up to five hours.
Several international and domestic flights were unable to land in Chennai due to the thick fog. Flights from London (British Airways), Muscat (Oman Air), Kuala Lumpur (AirAsia), Mumbai (Akasa Air), and multiple IndiGo flights from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Coimbatore were redirected to Bengaluru.
An Air India flight from Bengaluru, after holding its position above Chennai for nearly an hour, had to return to its origin. Meanwhile, two IndiGo flights from Hyderabad and Pune were diverted to Thiruvananthapuram.
Additionally, an IndiGo flight from Hyderabad and another from Pune landed in Tirupati after failing to land in Chennai. A Kolkata-Chennai IndiGo flight also faced the same situation, being diverted to Tirupati.
Other flights that faced long delays while waiting for landing clearance included:
- Air India Express flights from Muscat and Kuwait
- An Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa
- IndiGo flights from Mumbai and Abu Dhabi
- An Air India flight from Mumbai
Departures Delayed for Several Hours
The dense fog also impacted outbound flights from Chennai airport, causing delays of up to five hours. Departing flights to Delhi, Madurai, Coimbatore, Tuticorin, Vijayawada, Port Blair, London, Singapore, and Dubai were among those affected.
Flights were eventually allowed to depart once weather conditions improved, but the delays caused significant inconvenience for passengers.
Chennai Airport Among Most Disrupted in the World
According to Flightradar24, Chennai airport ranked as the second most disrupted airport in the world between 6 AM and 8 AM IST on Tuesday. The average departure delay during this period was recorded at 92 minutes.
In response to the situation, Air India and IndiGo issued travel advisories, warning passengers about possible delays due to dense fog and advising them to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Officials at Chennai airport released a statement acknowledging the widespread delays and diversions, citing safety as the top priority.
“Considering the safety of flight operations, we delayed some flights and diverted others to nearby airports. We are deeply saddened by the inconvenience caused to passengers, but since this was weather-related, there was little we could do,” the statement read.
The heavy fog in Chennai created one of the worst disruptions at the airport in recent months, affecting both domestic and international flights. With visibility being a critical factor in flight safety, authorities had no choice but to delay and divert operations. Passengers are advised to stay updated on flight schedules, especially during foggy conditions, to avoid last-minute inconvenience.