Delhi Airport Sees Three Flights Diverted And 500 Delayed Amid Heavy Thunderstorm
The India Meteorological Department said this was the second-highest 24-hour spell of rain witnessed by the national capital in May since 1901.
Three flights were diverted and more than 500 flights were delayed at the Delhi airport on Friday as thunderstorms and gusty winds disrupted operations.
An intense storm with heavy early-morning rain hit the national capital, causing a house collapse that killed a woman and her three children, and the city grappled with widespread waterlogging.
The India Meteorological Department said this was the second-highest 24-hour spell of rain witnessed by the national capital in May since 1901.
An official said two flights that were to land at the Delhi airport were diverted to Jaipur and one to Ahmedabad in the morning.
More than 500 flights were delayed, according to data from flight tracking website Flightradar24.com.
Delhi International Airport Ltd, which operates the airport, in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) at 5.20 am, said some flights were affected owing to inclement weather conditions.
DIAL, in a post on X at 7.25 am, said the thunderstorm has passed but there is some impact on flight operations due to adverse weather conditions.
The airport operator put out multiple X posts during the day, including about road blockages around airport and advised passengers to consider alternative transportation options such as the Delhi Metro to avoid delays.
"The airport is fully operational, though some flight operations may be affected due to the weather conditions," DIAL said in a post on X at 8.55 pm.
This morning's weather in Delhi with heavy rains and thunderstorm has resulted in air traffic congestion. Consequently, flights are impacted and are experiencing delays, IndiGo said in a post on X at 2.49 pm.
Air India also said that flight operations in parts of northern India were affected due to adverse weather.
"Some of our flights to and from Delhi are being delayed or diverted, which is likely to impact our overall flight schedule. We are doing our best to minimise disruptions," the airline posted on X at 5.51 am.
According to SpiceJet, there is massive Air Traffic Control congestion in Delhi due to bad weather.
"All departures/arrivals and their consequential flights might get affected," the airline said in a post on X at 10.09 am.
The Indira Gandhi International Airport is the country's largest and busiest airport, handling around 1,300 flight movements daily.
