Heavy rain in Delhi delays flights at IGI Airport; airlines issue advisory

Heavy rain coupled with thunderstorms in Delhi affected several flights at Indira Gandhi International airport (IGIA) on Friday morning.

According to Flightradar24, a live flight tracking website, Delhi airport saw an average delay of 50 minutes in departures and 35 minutes in arrivals.

“The adverse weather conditions in city head led to delays in both arriving and departing flights. Moreover, three flights had to be diverted”, an airport official said.

“A flight had to be diverted to Ahmedabad and two of them had to be diverted to Jaipur”, another flight official said.

“Due to the weather, a SpiceJet flight from Leh that was scheduled to arrive around 8am, was cancelled. IndiGo too had to cancel its Srinagar and Leh bound flights,” he added.

The Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL) spokesperson said that the airport is operating as normal, with some impact on flight operations due to adverse weather conditions.

“All stakeholders are working together to ensure a seamless and efficient passenger experience,” it stated.

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Meanwhile, airlines issued an advisory to passengers asking them to check their flight status before leaving for the airport.

“A thunderstorm has been forecast in Delhi, and changing weather conditions may affect flight schedules to and from the city. If you’re travelling today, we recommend checking your flight status for real-time updates and planning to leave a little earlier than usual, as the weather may impact road traffic too. Our teams are on standby and ready to support you every step of the way. We truly appreciate your patience and understanding”, a statement from IndiGo said.

Air India also issued a similar statement urging passengers to check flight timings.

“Thunderstorms and gusty winds have affected flight operations in parts of Northern India. Some of our flights to and from Delhi are being delayed, which is likely to impact on our overall flight schedule. We are doing our best to minimise disruptions”, the statement from Air India said.