Flights diverted, tensile canopy gives way at Delhi airport
New Delhi: An instense thunderstorm, accompanied by heavy rain and gusty winds of up to 82 km/hr, disrupted flight operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport early Sunday.
The extreme weather event, which swept across large parts of Delhi-NCR late Saturday night, led to the diversion of 49 flights to nearby airports and delayed more than 400 flights through the day.
Compounding the situation, roads leading to the airport were waterlogged well into the afternoon, prompting airlines to issue advisories to passengers. Videos widely shared on social media — including by former Delhi CM Atishi — showed a section of the external tensile fabric canopy at Terminal 1 tearing apart due to water accumulation.
Water was seen gushing off the canopy toward the Arrival hall and road below.
The airport operator, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), called the event a "natural design response". A DIAL spokesperson said: "Delhi experienced an intense thunderstorm with over 80 mm of rainfall and winds touching 70–80 km/hr within a span of 30 to 45 minutes around 2 am. This sudden downpour caused temporary water accumulation in and around the airport, briefly impacting operations."
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Addressing the viral video of the canopy, the spokesperson added, "As part of the design's natural response to extreme conditions, a section of the tensile fabric at Terminal 1 adjusted under pressure to help disperse water. There was no structural damage or impact on other areas. Swift action was taken by ground teams to restore normal conditions."
Flight diversions occurred between 11.30pm and 4am, according to airport officials.
"A total of 49 flights, including 17 international services, were diverted during that period," said one official. Delays, however, continued well into Sunday afternoon due to a ripple effect on operations.
Data from FlightRadar24 showed over 400 delayed flights, with an average delay time of 27 minutes. As road access to the airport remained affected, airlines began advising passengers to allow additional travel time and check flight statuses before departure.
Air India issued a statement, saying: "Thunderstorms and gusty winds last night impacted flight operations across northern India. Several flights to and from our Delhi hub were diverted, which may result in a cascading effect on our schedules. We urge passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport."
IndiGo also posted on X: "Last night's adverse weather continues to affect operations due to airside congestion. While conditions have improved, delays in departures, arrivals, and ground handling may persist."
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