Massive Flight Disruptions Due To Dense Fog In North India
As many as 100 flights have been cancelled in Delhi alone as the city continues to struggle with the extreme cold, with another thick fog layer covering the area on Wednesday.
Over 100 planes are reported delayed from and to Delhi Airport due to adverse weather (fog) for three days; some have also been diverted to the closest airport, a Delhi airport official told ANI.
While efforts were being made to relieve airport congestion in New Delhi over the busy holiday season, severe fog that blanketed most of north India added to the difficulties faced by air travellers.
On Wednesday, aeroplane mobility was again hampered by the recent days’ worth of poor visibility in the country’s north. The Delhi airport official claims that one further factor contributing to the flight delays is the fact that certain airlines have not yet sent out their CAT-III compliant pilots.
On Tuesday, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) recommended travellers to check the status of their flights with the relevant airlines because only CAT-III compliant aircraft were allowed to fly out of Delhi airport.
“While landing and take-offs are continuing at Delhi airport, flights that are not CAT-III compliant may get affected. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for the updated flight information,” DIAL said.
Over 18 aircraft, the majority of which were headed to towns in northern India from Delhi, were delayed till noon, according to the Flight Information Display System (FIDS) at the airport in Delhi. Arrivals, however, were on time.
Tuesday’s severe fog caused the Bagdogra airport in West Bengal to suspend flight operations for about six hours. Numerous people were inconvenienced by the delay.
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