15 flights diverted, over 250 delayed at IGI airport  

At least 15 flights were diverted and over 250 delayed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport as toxic smog shrouded the national capital on Monday.

Airport sources said 13 flights were diverted to Jaipur, and one each to Dehradun and Jaipur between 8.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m.

According to officials, the diversions were a result of airlines not deploying pilots trained to operate flights in low-visibility conditions.

As per the flight-tracking website flightradar24, at least 170 departures and 96 arrivals were delayed till 8 p.m. at the airport, which handles around 1,400 flights daily.

The city is witnessing poor visibility conditions earlier than expected as fog conditions develop in late December and last through January.

The India Meteorological Department had reported the worst spell of fog on January 14 this year with visibility ranging between zero and 50 metres for 10 hours, resulting in over 600 flight delays.

Published - November 19, 2024 01:28 am IST