New Delhi, Jan 21 (Inditop.com) Dense fog engulfed the Indira Gandhi International Airport here since Wednesday night and continued till Thursday morning, resulting in diversion and rescheduling of several international flights, an airport official said.
According to the official at Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), which has developed and operates the airport, visibility at the runway dropped drastically around 9 p.m. Wednesday and was a bare 25 metres by 3 a.m. Thursday.
Low visibility conditions remained for at least 10 hours till about 7 a.m., the official said, adding that operations started normalising only after 11 a.m.
“Operations were back to normal by 11 a.m. when the visibility at the runway was 500 metres,” said the official.
However, the capital’s airspace was closed between 11.15 a.m. and 12.15 p.m. on account of rehearsals of the fly-past which forms part of the Republic Day celebration. As a result, there was no take-off and landing of flights during this period.
Delhi resident Aditya Kaul, who frequently flies to Mumbai, said the government should have postponed closure of the airport.
“As soon as the fog cleared, the airspace was closed today. The Indian Air Force could have done their rehearsals some time in the afternoon. They should also understand the plight of thousands of air passengers who get stuck due to fog,” said Kaul.
A senior official at the Airports Authority of India (AAI) described the fog as the “heaviest” this season.
“The visibility remained very poor for at least 10 hours. As most international airlines operate from Delhi airport during late night hours, these flights were the worst hit,” he said.
Till 6 a.m. Thursday, 27 flights were diverted, and 20 rescheduled while 18 were cancelled. Over 170 flights were either rescheduled, delayed or cancelled Wednesday.
“If there is dense fog and visibility drops, flights have to be either rescheduled, cancelled or diverted. This is a worldwide practice,” the AAI official said.
The Delhi airport is equipped with landing instruments — also called CAT III — to help pilots during heavy fog. But flights are not allowed to take off or land when visibility drops below 50 metres.
