New Delhi, 31 December (H.S.): Dense fog enveloped Delhi-NCR and swathes of northern India on Wednesday, the final day of 2025, slashing visibility and crippling operations at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, where authorities cancelled 148 flights—70 departures and 78 arrivals—while diverting two incoming aircraft to alternate destinations.

The disruptions stemmed purely from meteorological conditions with no accidents, collisions, or safety incidents reported amid the haze, which grounded operations from early morning across runways handling over 1,300 daily movements.

Indigo Airlines issued travel advisories via X, urging passengers to monitor flight status on their website due to slowed movements and road visibility hazards en route to terminals.

Operational Breakdown and Airline Response

Official sources detailed the cancellations as operational necessities amid visibility dropping below 50 meters at Palam observatory, forcing reliance on limited Category III Instrument Landing Systems ill-equipped for peak volumes. The two diversions involved flights rerouted seamlessly to nearby hubs like Jaipur or Lucknow without passenger injuries or ground mishaps, as ground crews prioritized sequenced departures and arrivals to maintain order.

Indigo emphasized proactive management, assuring travellers their teams stood ready at airports for full journey assistance despite cascading delays from fog blankets over northern aerodromes.

Prior Disruptions and Broader Impact

Tuesday witnessed similar chaos at IGI, with 118 flights axed—60 arrivals and 58 departures—16 diversions, and 130 delays, underscoring winter fog's perennial scourge on India's busiest aviation hub processing 10 crore annual passengers.

No emergencies or accidents marred those events either, though surface travel suffered from low visibility prompting extra commute buffers.

The India Meteorological Department forecast persistent fog through Thursday, advising airlines to recalibrate schedules while passengers verify updates via official channels to navigate the year's closing travel snarl.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar