Dense fog disrupts flights across India, passengers face delays and diversions

A thick blanket of winter fog brought air travel across large swathes of the country to a near standstill, severely disrupting flight operations and leaving thousands of passengers stranded and anxious at airports.

With visibility plunging across northern and eastern India, aircraft movements were hit by delays, diversions and cancellations, triggering cascading disruptions throughout the aviation network. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has designated the period from 10 December to 10 February 2026, as the official fog season, a time when low visibility routinely tests both pilots and passengers.

At Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, visibility dropped sharply to around 125 metres, forcing flights to operate under CAT III conditions. In an advisory shared on X, the Delhi Airport Authority warned travellers that dense fog could lead to significant delays or cancellations and urged passengers to check their flight status with airlines before heading to the airport.

Several inbound flights to the national capital were diverted due to poor visibility, air traffic congestion and mounting delays, compounding the inconvenience for travellers already caught in the fog-induced chaos.

Airlines across the country issued advisories as conditions deteriorated. IndiGo said dense fog in Jammu continued to impair visibility, affecting flights to and from the city, with delays and possible cancellations depending on operational clearances.

SpiceJet flagged disruptions in Kolkata, cautioning passengers that departures and arrivals could be affected due to poor visibility. Air India, meanwhile, warned that dense fog across North India, including its primary hub in Delhi, was likely to ripple through its domestic network, impacting schedules nationwide.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) issued a broader alert, cautioning that reduced visibility at select northern airports could lead to delays and urging passengers to remain in touch with airlines through official channels. The authority said passenger facilitation measures had been activated and assistance teams deployed at affected airports to support travellers amid the disruptions.

“Passenger safety and smooth airport operations remain our priority during adverse weather conditions,” the AAI said, advising travellers to allow extra time for airport arrival and check-in.

The fog’s impact was starkly illustrated by an Air India Express flight from Goa to Delhi that was unable to land in the national capital early Monday morning. The aircraft also failed to land in Jaipur due to similar conditions and was eventually diverted to Ahmedabad, where it touched down safely.

But relief was short-lived for passengers, many of whom voiced anger and frustration at Ahmedabad airport over prolonged delays, repeated diversions and a lack of clear communication, as dense fog continued to paralyse air travel across vast stretches of the country.

As winter tightens its grip, the annual fog season once again casts a long shadow over India’s skies, testing patience on the ground and precision in the air.

With IANS inputs