Dense Fog Grounds Flights: Delhi Airport Faces Major Air Traffic Disruption

December 23, 2025 at 11:15 PM•2 min read

IndiGo and SpiceJet issued advisories after dense fog at Delhi Airport caused 10 cancellations and over 270 flight delays, impacting winter air traffic.

Key Points

110 flights were cancelled and over 270 flights delayed at Delhi Airport on Tuesday due to dense fog and low visibility.
2Airport operations were conducted under CAT III conditions as runway visibility dropped to as low as 100 meters.
3Airlines including IndiGo and SpiceJet issued advisories for potential disruptions across multiple North Indian airports.
4The DGCA and Ministry of Civil Aviation mandated strict compliance with passenger facilitation norms amid the weather disruptions.

Dense fog caused significant aviation weather disruptions at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) Airport on Tuesday. As many as 10 flights were cancelled due to the low visibility conditions. This included six arriving flights and four departing flights. Furthermore, more than 270 flights faced flight cancellations and delays. Flight tracking data showed the average departure delay was 29 minutes.

Low Visibility Flight Operations Under CAT III

Visibility on some runways dropped sharply in the early morning. Levels were reported as low as 100 meters. This forced the airport to operate under CAT III operations. CAT III is an advanced Instrument Landing System (ILS) category. It allows equipped aircraft and trained pilots to land in very low visibility flight operations.

Despite this technology, flight movements slow down considerably. This creates a bottleneck for the airport's daily traffic of about 1,300 flight movements. Airport operator DIAL issued an advisory on X. They cautioned travelers about possible delays and disruptions. Later in the day, DIAL stated that operations were running smoothly. However, they noted some departures might still be impacted.

Airline and Regulatory Response

The dense fog has affected the entire region for several days. This has caused widespread transport disruptions. Airlines issued immediate travel warnings to passengers. IndiGo advised that fluctuating visibility led to schedule changes. They noted operations would be slower than usual. SpiceJet warned that both arrivals and departures could be impacted. Affected North Indian airports included Amritsar, Jammu, Ayodhya, and Patna.

In response to the recurring Delhi Airport fog delays, the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued an advisory. The advisory directed airlines to strictly comply with passenger facilitation norms. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was tasked with monitoring compliance. This ensures passengers receive timely information, meals, and rebooking options. The winter fog flight schedule continues to be a major concern for air traffic control procedures. Stakeholders must coordinate closely to ensure safety and minimize inconvenience. Further updates on commercial aviation news can be found on industry watch sites.