IndiGo Cancels 20 Flights: Is Fog Causing Delays at Delhi and Mumbai Airports?

Flight cancellations continue to plague IndiGo operations across India. Today, the airline cancelled 20 flights, according to company data available as of 10 am. Mumbai was the most affected hub, recording five cancellations to various destinations. Delhi, Kolkata, and Pune each saw two cancellations, adding to the widespread flight schedule disruptions.

Weather and Operational Impact

The airline cited weather conditions as the main reason for the cancellations. "Low visibility and fog over Jammu may impact flight schedules," IndiGo stated in its IndiGo travel advisory. This ongoing winter fog is a recurring challenge for air travel in North India.

Delhi Airport Fog Delays

Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in Delhi faced significant delays. Data from Flightradar24 showed around 19 per cent of flights had delayed arrivals at Delhi Airport. The average departure delay was 22 minutes, with 68 per cent of departures running late.

Low visibility forced the airport to implement special low visibility operations procedures. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), visibility at Delhi Airport was 1,000 meters at 4 am. Visibility on Runway 28 exceeded 2,000 meters, while Runway 10 also showed over 2,000 meters. However, other reports indicated visibility dropped to 100 meters at 6 am, highlighting the rapidly changing conditions.

List of Cancelled IndiGo Flights

The 20 IndiGo flight cancellations impacted key domestic routes, including connections between major metropolitan areas and regional airports. The cancellations included multiple flights from Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, and Kolkata, affecting hundreds of passengers.

• 6E 7561: Mumbai (BOM) – Amritsar (AIP)
• 6E 7562: Mumbai (BOM) – Delhi (DEL)
• 6E 7324: Delhi (DEL) – Pantnagar (PGH)
• 6E 841: Bengaluru (BLR) – Delhi (DEL)
• 6E 507: Varanasi (VNS) – Kolkata (CCU)
• 6E 202: Mumbai (BOM) – Redi (RDP)
• 6E 6550: Patna (PAT) – Delhi (DEL)
• 6E 721: Pune (PNQ) – Lucknow (LKO)

Regulatory and Passenger Response

The widespread disruption follows a challenging period for the airline. On Tuesday, IndiGo cancelled 50 flights across several airports. This included 10 cancellations at Delhi Airport alone, with over 270 flights delayed.

India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has stepped in. The DGCA has directed airlines to strictly follow passenger facilitation norms. This mandate ensures passengers receive timely updates, meals for extended delays, and rebooking or refunds for cancellations. The regulator officially designated the period from December 10 to February 10 as the winter “fog window.”

Key Takeaways for Travelers:

• Check Status: Always verify your flight status directly with the airline before leaving for the airport.
• Know Your Rights: Airlines must offer rebooking or full refunds for cancellations due to weather, per DGCA rules.
• Allow Extra Time: Expect potential delays, especially for early morning flights in northern and eastern India.

For more commercial aviation news and updates on flight operations, visit flying.flights.