Unseasonal easterly winds forced air-traffic controllers at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport to divert eight flights—operated by IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express—to Jaipur between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on 4 November.
Although diversions for weather are routine during the monsoon, they are rare in November. The sudden wind-direction change disrupted arrival sequencing, prompting airlines to warn passengers of ground holds and extended taxi times. Operations normalised by 9 p.m., but not before some connecting passengers missed late-evening onward flights.
![High winds divert eight evening flights away from Delhi’s IGI Airport]()
For mobility managers, the episode is a reminder that Delhi’s slot-constrained hub has little buffer for irregular operations. Companies may wish to build longer connection windows or consider the city’s growing Vande Bharat express-train links for same-day meetings in Jaipur as a fallback.
Delhi airport handles about 1,300 movements daily; even a handful of diversions can ripple across the network, leading to crew-duty issues and next-day schedule knock-ons. Airlines are reviewing contingency staffing for the coming winter fog season, when weather-related disruptions are far more common.
Although diversions for weather are routine during the monsoon, they are rare in November. The sudden wind-direction change disrupted arrival sequencing, prompting airlines to warn passengers of ground holds and extended taxi times. Operations normalised by 9 p.m., but not before some connecting passengers missed late-evening onward flights.
For mobility managers, the episode is a reminder that Delhi’s slot-constrained hub has little buffer for irregular operations. Companies may wish to build longer connection windows or consider the city’s growing Vande Bharat express-train links for same-day meetings in Jaipur as a fallback.
Delhi airport handles about 1,300 movements daily; even a handful of diversions can ripple across the network, leading to crew-duty issues and next-day schedule knock-ons. Airlines are reviewing contingency staffing for the coming winter fog season, when weather-related disruptions are far more common.
