Over 350 flights delayed at Delhi airport due to weather
What's the story
More than 350 flights have been delayed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). Heavy traffic congestion, coupled with adverse weather conditions, caused the disruption.
Delays were reported on the flight-tracking website Flightradar24.com, where departures from Delhi airport showed average delays of over 40 minutes.
Frustrated passengers took to social media to share images and videos of the situation at the airport.
Weather impact
Severe weather disrupts flight operations
Delhi Airport witnessed massive disruptions since Friday evening when a dust storm, along with rain, hit operations.
A substantial number of flights were delayed and diverted, resulting in congestion that affected flights across the country, not just Delhi.
The bad weather from yesterday has continued to affect operations today too, with over 350 flights delayed due to traffic congestion and the aftermath of the storm.
Operational update
DIAL addresses ongoing issues at Delhi airport
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) has admitted to the continuing chaos at the airport.
They said flight operations are slowly getting normal, but a few are still suffering due to the weather from the previous night.
"Our on-ground teams and all stakeholders are working together to minimize any inconvenience to passengers," DIAL said in a post on X at 2:07pm IST.
Capacity constraints
Delhi airport operating with reduced capacity
At present, IGIA is functioning with just three runways as one is undergoing maintenance. This cut in capacity has further aggravated the delays.
Carriers including IndiGo and Air India have put out advisories requesting fliers to check flight statuses regularly for updates in view of persistent air traffic congestion.
"We'll get you moving as soon as we receive the final nod," IndiGo posted on social media.