An Akasa Air flight to Bengaluru and an service to Mumbai were scrapped due to poor visibility and operational constraints, leaving passengers stranded and frustrated at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport.
International arrivals into Delhi bore the brunt. Flights operated by Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Japan Airlines, and Air India faced delays of 50 minutes to over an hour. One IndiGo domestic flight to the capital departed 63 minutes late.
Pilots struggled with reduced runway visibility, requiring extra time for takeoffs and landings across the region.
Flights from southern cities fared slightly better. An IndiGo service from Hyderabad landed just five minutes behind schedule, while Air India and Air India Express flights from Mumbai arrived around eight minutes late. Bengaluru connections saw minor disruptions, with some departures managing only slight delays.
Passengers reported long waits and last-minute changes, disrupting travel plans during the peak winter season.
Fog-related disruptions are common in northern India this time of year, as cold waves combine with high moisture to create persistent low-visibility conditions. Airports rely on Category III instrument landing systems for operations in severe fog, but not all runways or aircraft are fully equipped.
Authorities advised travellers to check flight status before heading to the airport. Similar conditions are forecast to persist over the next few days, raising prospects of further delays and cancellations across the region.
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