New Delhi, January 2 (HS): Thick fog enveloped the national capital on Friday morning, severely disrupting flight operations at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport and causing delays to numerous domestic and international flights.

Visibility plummeted to below 50 meters in parts of Delhi-NCR, forcing the airport to activate Category III (CAT-III) instrument landing systems, which enable operations in low-visibility conditions but often lead to cascading delays and proactive cancellations.

IndiGo, India's largest carrier, issued an advisory late Thursday announcing cancellations of select early-morning flights for Friday due to anticipated fog, urging passengers to check real-time status via official channels and allowing extra travel time.

Air India and other airlines like SpiceJet echoed similar warnings, noting potential impacts across their networks from Delhi departures, arrivals, and connecting flights, with ground teams deployed to assist stranded travelers.

While exact figures for Friday were emerging, recent fog episodes saw over 150 cancellations and 250 delays in a single day, highlighting the persistent winter challenge exacerbated by poor air quality in the very poor range.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted continued moderate to dense fog through the morning hours, advising commuters and airlines to monitor updates amid broader NCR disruptions including slowed rail traffic.

Passengers faced extended waits, with the Civil Aviation Ministry emphasizing strict adherence to facilitation norms like meals for delays over two hours and full refunds for short-notice cancellations.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar