Flight operations across north India were hit hard on Monday as dense fog and low visibility forced major domestic airlines, including Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet, to issue travel advisories, warning passengers of delays, diversions, and cancellations.
Air India said that flights on Tuesday, December 30, could be affected due to poor weather and reduced visibility in several north and north-eastern cities. The airline cautioned that early morning fog could cause cascading disruptions across its network, particularly affecting flights to and from Delhi.
The airline added that its ground teams were deployed at key airports to assist passengers and that operations were being closely monitored to minimise inconvenience. Under its ‘FogCare’ initiative, Air India said passengers on select affected flights receive advance alerts and can reschedule flights or claim full refunds without extra charges.
IndiGo also issued a travel advisory, reporting that evening fog around Dehradun was slowing flight movements. The airline said its teams were coordinating with airport authorities to restore normal operations as visibility improved, urging passengers to regularly check flight status.
SpiceJet warned of a widespread impact on its operations, with poor visibility expected to affect departures, arrivals, and connecting flights at airports including Delhi, Amritsar, Jammu, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Darbhanga, Patna, Guwahati, and Bagdogra. Passengers were advised to monitor flight updates on the airline’s website.
On Monday morning, dense fog brought air travel to a near standstill in Delhi-NCR, with visibility dropping to near zero in some areas.
Over 100 flights cancelled, several diverted
Flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport were particularly affected, with at least 128 flights — 64 arrivals and 64 departures — cancelled. Eight flights were diverted to alternate airports due to poor visibility. An Air India Express flight from Goa’s Mopa Airport to Delhi, for example, was diverted to Ahmedabad early in the morning, while Jaipur airport also faced congestion from rerouted flights.
Delhi airport authorities advised passengers to expect delays and cancellations as dense fog persisted.
Orange alert for Delhi
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for very dense fog in Delhi, as well as parts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Maximum and minimum temperatures in the capital are expected to hover around 22°C and 7°C, respectively.
Air quality adds to woes
Compounding travel disruptions, Delhi’s air quality deteriorated sharply, with the Central Pollution Control Board reporting an overall Air Quality Index of 403 on Monday morning, categorised as ‘severe’.
With fog and pollution combining to disrupt daily life, airlines have urged passengers to plan their journeys carefully and remain updated on flight schedules over the coming days.