New Delhi — Woke up early for that dreamy Maldives vacay or a crucial business trip to Mumbai and ended up sipping coffee at Vistara’s help desk instead? If you’ve been anywhere near Terminal 3 this week, you already know — it’s foggy, it’s frustrating, and it’s freezing. Hundreds of flights have been delayed or cancelled at Delhi airport, and the chaos is real — we’re talking full-blown crowd scenes at departure gates, long lines at Costa, and tempers running high even before security check.
When the Runway Disappears: What’s Actually Going On?
This isn’t your average winter haze. Delhi’s already infamous “pea soup” fog literally brought operations to a standstill at Indira Gandhi International Airport, especially over the weekend. As per official reports, over 100 flights have faced delays, and at least 30 were outright cancelled in just 48 hours. The reason? Visibility dropped below the safe threshold for many aircraft, particularly those relying on non-CAT III systems (that’s pilot-speak for the fancy auto-land tech not all flights have).
The issue is further complicated when air traffic control has to stagger flights due to runway congestion. With two of the airport’s main runways impacted, there was a domino effect — arrivals delayed, departures pushed back, and those flying budget airlines were left with a chai and a prayer. Add to that the classic Delhi fog + winter congestion combo, and you’ve got peak turbulence — on the ground.
Will This Ruin Your Weekend Drive to Gurgaon?
Absolutely, if you were planning an airport drop or pickup. The car traffic around Mahipalpur and Aerocity is worse than Bhikaji Cama at 6 pm. And it’s not just folks flying — delivery riders, cargo trucks, and cab drivers are all feeling the squeeze. If you’re one of those Gurgaon office-goers commuting via Aerocity Metro, add at least 20 minutes to your travel times because people are flooding into the Airport Express line to avoid road snarls.
For students heading back to DU after winter break, it’s meant long hours at Terminal 1D and last-minute Zigwheels bookings from Kashmere Gate. And don’t even get us started on missed weddings — absent baratis, stranded luggage, and the occasional furious mama-ji pacing at the arrival block like a runway marshal.
The Fog Files: Is This Just a Delhi Thing?
Sadly, yes. While cities like Mumbai or Bangalore rarely face flight operations issues due to fog, Delhi’s unique geography — high-pressure inversion layer, pollution levels, and cold air settling overnight — makes this a yearly affair. The last time we saw this level of disruption was January 2020, when visibility dropped near zero for nearly four hours straight. What’s worse is that despite upgrading infrastructure to support CAT III-B — which theoretically allows landings with as little as 50m visibility — not all airlines or pilots are certified to use it.
In fact, this situation has reignited old debates about training requirements and infrastructure parity among Indian airlines. Why are we still caught off guard each winter? It’s not like the fog RSVP’d last minute.
📍 Spot Check: T3’s Starbucks is packed, Aerocity’s food courts saw record daytime footfalls, and cabs near the Radisson Blu plaza are being snapped up at surge rates. Metro stations like Delhi Aerocity, Dwarka Sector 21, and New Delhi are experiencing higher-than-usual foot traffic due to airport-bound passengers rescheduling their travels via trains and buses from nearby Sarai Kale Khan and ISBT Kashmere Gate.
The Final Word
This is a big fat Nay — for travelers, families, and frankly, the city’s image. Delhi Fog Season is no longer just a meme; it’s a logistical nightmare that hits every sector. So why isn’t IGI Airport equipped with better contingency plans other than “sit and wait”? Airlines need to step up communication tech, and maybe — just maybe — make CAT III training less optional and more essential. Until then, double-check your flight status, stock up on Airport Maggi, and maybe keep that airline app on speed dial.
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