Dense fog envelops Delhi-NCR: Airlines, airport issue advisory to flyers; 27 flights cancelled

Visibility reduces significantly, disrupting traffic across the region

Dense fog enveloped large parts of Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) on Thursday morning, significantly reducing visibility and disrupting traffic across the region.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), dense fog conditions prevailed over the city based on the 6 am observation. Visibility at Palam Airport dropped sharply to 150 metres, while Safdarjung Airport reported visibility of 200 metres.

The dense fog affected road traffic in several areas, with vehicles seen moving slowly on major arterial roads and highways connecting Delhi with neighbouring cities, such as Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Noida. Morning commuters faced delays as low visibility prompted motorists to exercise caution.

Advisory to flyers

According to the officials, the current visibility at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Palam is 100 metres. General visibility is expected to increase to 150 metres in the next 30 minutes and will gradually improve thereafter. No further reductions are expected.

In an advisory, Delhi airport said, "Due to dense fog, flight operations are currently under CAT III conditions, which may lead to delays or disruptions. We are working closely with all stakeholders to minimise inconvenience to passengers." The airport authorities advised flyers to check their latest flight status with their respective airlines before reaching the airport.

As many as 27 flights of various airlines were cancelled and many more delayed at Delhi Airport on Thursday due to dense fog and subsequent drop in visibility, a DIAL official said.

"As of now, 27 flights are cancelled -- 16 departures and 11 arrivals -- at Delhi Airport due to dense fog and low visibility," the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) official said.

Air India flagged the likelihood of reduced visibility conditions over the next few days and noted that its primary hub in Delhi, along with a few airports in northern and eastern India, could face disruptions. The airline said it has put measures in place to minimise passenger inconvenience, including round-the-clock assistance for those needing alternative travel arrangements.

It said the airline's 'FogCare' initiative allows passengers, booked on flights that are likely to be affected during the fog window, to receive advance alerts on their registered phone numbers, with the option to change their flights without any extra payment, or seek a full refund on the bookings without any penalty.

In a similar advisory, IndiGo said "some flights may experience delays or adjustments" as fog is predicted across parts of North and East India.

"Foggy conditions may also impact road traffic, with slower movement and longer travel times expected while commuting to the airport. Customers travelling early are advised to plan with additional buffer time," it said in the advisory.

Foggy conditions to continue

Weather officials said foggy conditions are likely to persist during early mornings in the coming days as winter intensifies. The IMD has forecast dense fog on Thursday and Friday.

Meanwhile, air quality in the national capital remained in the 'very poor' category, with the air quality index (AQI) recorded at 358, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

On the weather front, the minimum temperature in the national capital settled at 9 degrees Celsius, which is 0.9 notches above the season's average. The maximum temperature is likely to hover around 23 degrees Celsius, the IMD said.

The relative humidity was recorded at 100 per cent at 8.30 am.

As per the CPCB classification, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor' and 401 to 500 'severe'.