Early on Monday, 19 January 2026, a toxic mix of winter fog and ‘severe’ air-quality conditions pushed visibility at Indira Gandhi International Airport below 350 metres, triggering low-visibility procedures and cascading delays across the domestic network. By 09:00 IST the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) logged an Air Quality Index of 418—well into the ‘severe’ band—while several monitoring stations such as Dhaula Kuan and ITO spiked above 450.
Airport officials said dozens of departures were held on the ground for 30-90 minutes as Category III-B compliant runways were prioritised for international wide-bodies. Airlines including IndiGo, Air India and Vistara issued real-time advisories urging passengers to use airline apps and arrive at least three hours before departure to clear security queues elongated by weather delays.
For international travellers suddenly juggling rebookings or unexpected layovers, VisaHQ’s India team (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can arrange rapid visa extensions, transit permits and documentation updates in a matter of hours, helping keep travel plans compliant even when fog and pollution ground flights.
![Severe fog and pollution disrupt hundreds of flights at Delhi IGI Airport]()
Business-critical travellers faced the most pain: morning shuttle flights to Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad—popular with same-day return executives—were delayed by an average of 78 minutes, forcing companies to reschedule meetings or switch to video calls. Freight forwarders moving time-sensitive pharma and electronics reported knock-on effects as belly-hold cargo missed afternoon truck connections out of Delhi-NCR.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reiterated that airlines must provide meals and hotel accommodation for delays exceeding three hours, but passenger groups complained of patchy compliance. Travel-risk managers advised corporates to book refundable fares for the next seven days, when similar meteorological conditions are forecast.
Longer-term, the disruption underscores the growing operational cost of Delhi’s winter pollution. Airport operator DIAL is fast-tracking an additional CAT-III-B compliant runway and exploring ‘Follow-the-Greens’ taxi-guidance systems to shave turn-around times during low visibility. For multinationals shuttling staff through Delhi, contingency playbooks— including flexible work-from-anywhere policies—are becoming an annual necessity.(timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
Airport officials said dozens of departures were held on the ground for 30-90 minutes as Category III-B compliant runways were prioritised for international wide-bodies. Airlines including IndiGo, Air India and Vistara issued real-time advisories urging passengers to use airline apps and arrive at least three hours before departure to clear security queues elongated by weather delays.
For international travellers suddenly juggling rebookings or unexpected layovers, VisaHQ’s India team (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can arrange rapid visa extensions, transit permits and documentation updates in a matter of hours, helping keep travel plans compliant even when fog and pollution ground flights.
Business-critical travellers faced the most pain: morning shuttle flights to Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad—popular with same-day return executives—were delayed by an average of 78 minutes, forcing companies to reschedule meetings or switch to video calls. Freight forwarders moving time-sensitive pharma and electronics reported knock-on effects as belly-hold cargo missed afternoon truck connections out of Delhi-NCR.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reiterated that airlines must provide meals and hotel accommodation for delays exceeding three hours, but passenger groups complained of patchy compliance. Travel-risk managers advised corporates to book refundable fares for the next seven days, when similar meteorological conditions are forecast.
Longer-term, the disruption underscores the growing operational cost of Delhi’s winter pollution. Airport operator DIAL is fast-tracking an additional CAT-III-B compliant runway and exploring ‘Follow-the-Greens’ taxi-guidance systems to shave turn-around times during low visibility. For multinationals shuttling staff through Delhi, contingency playbooks— including flexible work-from-anywhere policies—are becoming an annual necessity.(timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
