New Delhi, Dec 18 (UNI) Several airlines have issued passenger advisories as dense fog and low visibility continue to affect flight operations across Delhi, Chandigarh, Patna, and other airports in northern and eastern India.
Air India warned that over the next few days, dense fog could impact operations at its primary hub in Delhi and several other airports, with potential cascading effects across its network.
“To help plan your travel better, especially during the holiday season, may we request you to check your flight status before heading to the airport. For your convenience, Air India has taken several proactive measures to mitigate fog-related disruptions. However, if dense fog leads to sudden cancellations or prolonged delays, our ground colleagues will be available round-the-clock to assist you and make alternative arrangements,” the airline said.
Under its ‘FogCare’ initiative, passengers on flights likely to be affected will receive advance alerts and can change flights without extra payment or seek a full refund without penalty.
IndiGo advised that low visibility over Chandigarh and other areas in North India has affected flight schedules. The airline said, “As the morning approaches under misty winter skies, fog is predicted across parts of North and East India, which may lead to reduced visibility and a slower pace of flight movements during the early hours. In the interest of safety, some flights may experience delays or adjustments. Our teams across airports are fully prepared and working in close coordination to manage schedules smoothly, assist customers, and maintain a steady flow of operations.”
IndiGo further cautioned that foggy conditions could also impact road traffic, urging travelers to allow extra time for airport transfers. “Customers travelling early are advised to plan with additional buffer time and check the latest flight status on our website or app before leaving home. Thank you for your patience and continued trust as we work steadily through the early hours, with visibility expected to improve as the day progresses,” the airline added.
SpiceJet also issued an advisory, warning that dense fog in Patna and Delhi could affect departures, arrivals, and consequential flights, and urged passengers to check their flight status before traveling.
Airlines emphasised that passenger safety and wellbeing remain their top priority and thanked travelers for their patience amid fog-related disruptions.
Meanwhile, air quality in the national capital worsened on Thursday morning. Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) rose from the previous day, with four pollution hotspots recording ‘severe’ levels.
According to the Sameer app, at 7:05 am on Thursday, Delhi’s AQI stood at 358, slightly deteriorating from Wednesday’s 329 at 6:05 am, keeping the city’s overall air quality in the ‘very poor’ category.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies air quality as ‘moderate’ (AQI 101–200), ‘poor’ (201–300), and ‘very poor’ (301–400). Above 400 mark, the AQI falls under the ‘severe’ category; however, for the implementation of emergent GRAP measures, AQI values of 450 are categorised as ‘severe plus’. AQI levels breaching 400 affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing conditions.
Anand Vihar was the worst-affected area, with AQI touching 416, and particulate matter (PM10) emerging as the dominant pollutant. PM10 levels spiked to 965 micrograms per cubic metre at 5 pm on Wednesday. Other areas recording severe air quality included Vivek Vihar (411), Wazirpur (404), and Jahangirpuri (404).
Declining air quality also reduced visibility across the National Capital Region (NCR). The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported dense fog over Delhi on Thursday morning, with visibility dropping to 100 metres at both Palam and Safdarjung. The IMD said conditions were likely to improve to around 150 metres by 7:45 am. Visibility had sharply fallen from three hours earlier, when Safdarjung recorded moderate fog at 300 metres and Palam reported shallow fog at 500 metres.
Airlines issue advisories as dense fog disrupts flights across North and East India
