New Delhi | December 16

Air travel across northern India was severely disrupted on Tuesday morning after dense fog and poor visibility led IndiGo Airlines to cancel more than 50 domestic flights, causing inconvenience to thousands of passengers.

According to airline officials, visibility levels dropped sharply at major northern airports, including Delhi, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Jaipur, and Varanasi, particularly during early morning hours. The low visibility made safe take-offs and landings impossible, forcing flight cancellations and delays.

Major Impact Areas

Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi) was the worst affected, with cascading delays due to congestion and late arrivals.

Several inbound and outbound flights connecting Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana were either cancelled or rescheduled.

Connecting flights to eastern and southern India were also impacted due to aircraft rotation delays.

Airline Advisory

IndiGo issued a travel advisory, urging passengers to:

Check real-time flight status before heading to the airport

Allow extra travel time due to fog-related delays

Opt for flexible rebooking or refunds where applicable

The airline stated that safety remains its top priority and operations would normalize once visibility improves.

Weather Department Warning

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that dense to very dense fog conditions are likely to persist across northern plains for the next few days, especially during late night and early morning hours. A cold wave is also gripping the region, further worsening conditions.

Passenger Reactions

Many passengers expressed frustration over sudden cancellations and long waiting hours at airports. However, aviation experts noted that fog-related disruptions are common during winter and unavoidable in the interest of flight safety.

Outlook

Airlines are expected to operate limited schedules during early morning hours until weather conditions stabilize. Passengers traveling in the next few days are advised to stay updated through airline apps and airport announcements.