Low Visibility, Smog Disrupt Delhi Flights: 110 Cancelled, Over 370 Delayed

Dense fog and smog caused major disruption at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Sunday, with 110 flights cancelled and more than 370 delayed. Low visibility slowed operations for both domestic and international services, affecting thousands of passengers travelling through one of India’s busiest aviation hubs.

Data from Flightradar24 showed over 370 flights faced delays, with departing services running an average 26 minutes late. According to officials, 59 incoming and 51 outgoing flights were cancelled. The disruption came during a period when flight operations across north India were already strained by persistent fog.

Delhi flight delays and airport operations under dense fog

Delhi International Airport Limited, which manages IGI Airport, posted on X around noon that operations were smooth, despite cancellations and delays reported through the day. The airport usually handles about 1,300 flights daily, so even modest visibility issues can lead to a heavy backlog and crowded terminals.

Fog-related problems were not limited to the national capital. Flight schedules at several airports in north India had already been affected in recent days. The combination of dense fog, low clouds and smog has stretched ground staff, air traffic controllers and airlines, with cascading delays across routes linked to Delhi.

Delhi flight delays amid poor air quality and pollution levels

The weather troubles in the skies matched conditions on the ground. The Central Pollution Control Board recorded Delhi’s Air Quality Index at 386 on Sunday morning, placing it in the "very poor" band. Sixteen monitoring stations showed "severe" air pollution, while the remaining locations reported "very poor" levels.

Under Central Pollution Control Board norms, AQI values between 0 and 50 are classed as "good", 51 to 100 as "satisfactory", 101 to 200 as "moderate", 201 to 300 as "poor", 301 to 400 as "very poor", and 401 to 500 as "severe". These categories guide health advisories and policy responses in major cities.

Delhi flight delays and weather conditions across north India

The India Meteorological Department reported a minimum temperature of 9.4 degrees Celsius in Delhi, about 1.3 degrees above normal for the season. Relative humidity reached 91 per cent at 8.30 am. IMD forecast a maximum temperature near 17 degrees Celsius and issued a yellow alert for moderate fog.

Weather also hit air travel in Jammu and Kashmir. At Srinagar International Airport, at least 11 flights were cancelled as snowfall in higher reaches and rain in the plains reduced visibility. An Airports Authority of India official said two more flights due to operate to Srinagar were cancelled because of weather at Jammu and Delhi airports.

The official added that four aircraft remained on standby on the apron at Srinagar, with two more services expected later in the day if conditions allowed. The official said flight operations would restart once the weather improved, underscoring how fog, snow and rain together strained flight schedules across the region.