In Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, flights were greatly delayed on November 14 because of a heavy smog which limited visibility. From NDTV and Flightradar 24, it emerged that over 300 flights were affected, 115 inbound, and 226 outbound flights. The average delay time which these flights incurred was about 17 minutes for arriving flights and 54 minutes for departing flights, but it was not clear if all the delay was occasioned by weather factors alone.
Basically, the Delhi Airport put out an advisory on X (so it was Twitter) regarding LPCs and asking passengers to refer to their airline for flight details. It also warned its clients about this delay due to winter fog and urged them to check on the status of their flight.
The smog is credited to deteriorating air quality in New Delhi and neighbouring areas. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi’s AQI rose to 459 in the afternoon, which categorised it as ‘severe’, up from an AQI of 334 a day before.
Even the IMD proposed that, if there is increased wind activity, the AQI could be improved to the ‘Very Poor’ category. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai informed that GRAP 3, the third phase of the Graded Response Action Plan will not be initiated this time.
Such a surge in smog and poor air quality has brought out the accumulated environmental problems in the region, and they impact not only the health of the public, but also a critical service such as aviation. Travelers have been urged to keep informed for the changes as the governments and airlines continue to address the issue.
