500+flight delays in peak hrs throw ops out of gear at IGI airport in Delhi
Over 500 flights were delayed, several cancelled and a few diverted at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Friday with most of the disruptions taking place in the morning hours amid heavy rains and thunderstorms, throwing out of place plans of thousands of passengers, airport and airlines' officials said.
According to Flightradar24, a live flight tracking website, the airport saw a peak average delay of 50 minutes in departures and arrivals. It reduced to around 35 minutes few hours later.
Airport officials said that 'flight departures had to be paused for a brief period of time due to heavy rains in the morning, leading for delays up to an hour in departures.'
An airport official said, 'The adverse weather conditions in city the led to delays in both arriving and departing flights. Moreover, three flights had to be diverted.'
Towards peak evening hours, 'the situation remained similar', an Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said, asking not to be named. However, IGI operator Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL) said that the situation was in control but added there was still some impact on flight operations due to adverse weather conditions.
'All stakeholders are working together to ensure a seamless and efficient passenger experience,' DIAL stated.
'The situation is expected to be better by midnight provided the weather does not change,' the AAI official said.
Meanwhile, airlines issued advisory to passengers and asked them to check their flight status before leaving for the airport.
IndiGo, which cancelled some Srinagar and Leh-bound flights, was the first to inform its passenger on X. It said, '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 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.'
Air India's post on X read, '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 our overall flight schedule. We are doing our best to minimise disruptions.'
To be sure, the city airport has been seeing flight disruptions this week due to non-availability of runway 28/10 and easterly winds.
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