A thick winter fog descended on Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in the early hours of 15 December, triggering the worst single-day disruption of the current travel season. Airport data show 131 departures and 97 arrivals were cancelled, while five inbound aircraft were forced to divert to alternative airports. Although IGI is equipped with CAT III-B instrument landing systems, visibility briefly dropped below the 75-metre threshold at which even CAT III operations become unsafe, forcing a temporary suspension of movements.
The wave of cancellations hit every major domestic carrier—including IndiGo, Air India, Vistara and Akasa—as well as several international operators. Corporate travel managers reported that last-minute crew and equipment repositioning became impossible once the fog set in, creating a knock-on effect that is expected to ripple through airline schedules for at least 36 hours. Cargo flights were also delayed, affecting just-in-time supply chains for pharmaceutical and high-tech shippers that rely on Delhi as a hub.
Airport authorities set up extra help-desks and allowed complimentary re-booking or refunds, but many passengers still endured overnight waits. Hotels around the aerocity district were fully booked by mid-morning, prompting business travellers to move meetings online or relocate to Mumbai and Bengaluru.
![Dense fog grounds Delhi skies: 228 flights cancelled and five diverted at IGI Airport]()
For travellers who suddenly need to change travel dates, extend visas, or obtain emergency documentation because of weather-related delays, VisaHQ’s digital service center (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can process Indian e-visas, handle passport renewals, and arrange courier pickup and delivery—removing one more source of stress while you wait for skies to clear.
Travel-risk specialists advise multinational companies to build larger weather buffers into itineraries for North India through January, when inversion layers make fog and smog events both longer and more frequent.
Airlines reiterated calls for the government to accelerate planned upgrades—such as installing CAT III-B systems on the remaining secondary runway and deploying advanced ground-movement radar—to increase operational resilience. In the meantime, travellers are urged to check flight status up to the minute of departure, use airline mobile apps for automatic re-accommodation, and allow additional time for security queues that back up when departure banks compress.
The wave of cancellations hit every major domestic carrier—including IndiGo, Air India, Vistara and Akasa—as well as several international operators. Corporate travel managers reported that last-minute crew and equipment repositioning became impossible once the fog set in, creating a knock-on effect that is expected to ripple through airline schedules for at least 36 hours. Cargo flights were also delayed, affecting just-in-time supply chains for pharmaceutical and high-tech shippers that rely on Delhi as a hub.
Airport authorities set up extra help-desks and allowed complimentary re-booking or refunds, but many passengers still endured overnight waits. Hotels around the aerocity district were fully booked by mid-morning, prompting business travellers to move meetings online or relocate to Mumbai and Bengaluru.
For travellers who suddenly need to change travel dates, extend visas, or obtain emergency documentation because of weather-related delays, VisaHQ’s digital service center (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can process Indian e-visas, handle passport renewals, and arrange courier pickup and delivery—removing one more source of stress while you wait for skies to clear.
Travel-risk specialists advise multinational companies to build larger weather buffers into itineraries for North India through January, when inversion layers make fog and smog events both longer and more frequent.
Airlines reiterated calls for the government to accelerate planned upgrades—such as installing CAT III-B systems on the remaining secondary runway and deploying advanced ground-movement radar—to increase operational resilience. In the meantime, travellers are urged to check flight status up to the minute of departure, use airline mobile apps for automatic re-accommodation, and allow additional time for security queues that back up when departure banks compress.
