According to airport sources, numerous flights heading to Delhi were redirected, and several others experienced delays on Saturday because of poor visibility and unfavorable weather conditions at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport.
As per sources at the airport, 18 flights were redirected to different cities such as Jaipur, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, and Amritsar between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. due to the first foggy weather in the national capital.
The airport implemented low visibility procedures (LVP) to facilitate easier landings for flights when visibility decreased to less than 800 meters.
The visibility in various parts of Delhi was quite poor on Saturday, as the air quality in several areas of the capital city was classified as 'very poor'. Additionally, many areas of the city were also enveloped in a layer of smog.
However, airlines continuously provided updates on the flight status through their social media accounts and advised passengers to reach out to the airline in case of any inconvenience caused by delays or diversions.
Vistara Airlines stated on X that Flight UK954 and Flight UK928 from Mumbai to Delhi (BOM-DEL) were redirected to Jaipur.
In a recent update, Vistara Airlines communicated through X that Flight UK954 and Flight UK928 have left Japiur and are anticipated to reach Delhi airport prior to 11:30 a.m.
Likewise, the flight UK906 heading to Delhi from Ahmedabad was redirected back to Ahmedabad due to poor weather conditions and limited visibility at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Vistara Airlines announced on X that Flight UK906, originally scheduled to fly from Ahmedabad to Delhi (AMD-DEL), has been redirected back to Ahmedabad (AMD) due to poor visibility at Delhi airport. The flight is anticipated to land in Ahmedabad at 1000 hours.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) reading at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International (IGI) was 375 at 10:00 a.m.
The air quality in Anand Vihar and Ashok Vihar was classified as 'Very Poor'. At 6 a.m. on Saturday, Anand Vihar had an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 388, while Ashok Vihar had an AQI reading of 386.
Delhi's Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, announced on Wednesday that the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap)-3 has been lifted in the capital city. However, the government is making efforts to ensure the strict implementation of Grap-1 and Grap-2.
The air quality index is classified as 'good' when it falls between 0 and 100. It is categorized as 'moderate' when it ranges from 100 to 200, 'poor' from 200 to 300, 'very poor' from 300 to 400, and 'severe' when it reaches 400 or above.
