Dense Fog Likely To Hit Flight Schedules At Delhi Airport: IndiGo, SpiceJet Issue Advisories
Delhi Airport has issued an advisory, asking passengers to check flight status and contact airlines before heading to the airport.
Dense fog covered large parts of Delhi-NCR on Friday morning, reducing visibility and slowing traffic. Flight operations at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport were affected, with several delays reported.
Delhi Airport and airlines such as IndiGo and SpiceJet have issued advisories, asking passengers to check flight status and contact airlines before heading to the airport.
In an X post at 7:00 a.m., the airport announced that dense fog has impacted flights and CAT III operations are being undertaken. CAT III or category 3 is part of an Instrument Landing System (ILS) allowing flights to land in adverse weather conditions like fog, snow, or rain.
“Our on-ground teams are working in close coordination with all stakeholders to assist passengers and provide necessary support across all terminals. For real-time flight updates, please reach out to your respective airlines,” the airport said.
Flight Delays
With flights in Delhi operating under CAT III, delays are anticipated. Within the Instrument Landing System (ILS), specific categories define operations for qualified pilots using equipped aircraft and runways. Category IIIA allows a descent height below 100 feet with a runway visual range (RVR) of at least 200 metres. Category IIIB permits a descent height below 50 feet and an RVR not less than 50 metres.
These advanced systems help pilots land safely without visual cues. However, airline officials said CAT-III does not remove all weather limits. During the season’s first dense fog spell this week, visibility dropped to 75–100 metres, below the 125-metre RVR required for take-offs. This forced several departures to be cancelled, according to The New Indian Express. Moreover, not all pilots are CAT-III trained, and delays can push unqualified crews into fog hours, leading to flight delays.
Airlines Issue Advisory
At 5:40 a.m., the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that very dense fog was likely in Delhi over the next three hours. Due to adverse weather conditions, several airlines, including IndiGo and SpiceJet, issued warnings.
“Early morning fog in Delhi and across parts of northern India is affecting visibility and impacting flight operations. We seek your understanding, as this is a seasonal occurrence, and flight movements are being managed accordingly to ensure safe and orderly operations. Customers travelling in the early hours may experience delays or revised timings. We recommend checking the latest flight status prior to leaving for the airport…,” IndiGo said in an X post.
Issuing a similar warning, SpiceJet said: “Due to expected bad weather at Delhi (DEL) tomorrow, all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights may be affected. Passengers are requested to keep a check on their flight status…”
Air India also advised its passengers to stay updated on their flight status before heading to the airport.
