Delhi Pollution News: Dense Fog Grips Delhi Airport, CAT III Protocols Activated — Details Inside
The Delhi Airport issued an advisory. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the airport said that it has activated CAT III (Category III) landing protocols
Flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), operated by DIAL were disrupted on Wednesday morning as a thick blanket of dense fog was covered the National Capital Region.
The Delhi Airport issued an advisory. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the airport said that it has activated CAT III (Category III) landing protocols.
The activation of CAT III protocols enables specially equipped aircraft and trained pilots to land in extremely low visibility, often near zero, using advanced autoland systems. However, despite these technical safeguards, the airport warned that the prevailing conditions are likely to result in cascading delays and potential cancellations throughout the day.
These include "timely flight information, meals for delayed passengers, rebooking or refunds in case of cancellations, no denial of boarding after timely check-in, baggage facilitation and prompt grievance redressal".
The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), operated by DIAL, handles around 1,300 flights daily.
Major carriers, including IndiGo, have confirmed that both arrivals and departures are being impacted. In a statement, IndiGo noted, "Foggy conditions are present across Delhi and several airports in northern India this morning. If reduced visibility conditions persist, flight departures and arrivals may be impacted as the day progresses."
"We are closely monitoring the situation and are making operational adjustments wherever required to keep journeys moving as smoothly as possible," added the low-cost carrier.
The airlines have recommended checking the latest flight status of passengers before leaving for the airport.
Yesterday, at least 118 flights were cancelled, 16 flights diverted and 130 services delayed at the Delhi airport as dense fog disrupted operations. An official said 60 arrivals and 58 departures were cancelled while 16 flights were diverted at the airport. Against the backdrop of fog and low visibility conditions, the civil aviation ministry on Tuesday said airlines have been instructed to strictly comply with passenger facilitation norms.
