30 flights diverted, 100 delayed at IGI Airport due to bad weather

The first impact on flight schedules was reported at 7.30pm on Wednesday, with diversions made until 1am. However, officials said flights were delayed for longer due to the cascading effect of the diversions

New Delhi

Flights were majorly diverted to Jaipur and Lucknow. (Representative photo/HT Archive)

At least 30 flights were diverted from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport late Wednesday and over 100 were delayed, as intense rainfall and gusty winds hit operations till the early hours of Thursday, officials aware of the matter said.

The first impact on flight schedules was reported at 7.30pm on Wednesday, with diversions made until 1am. However, officials said flights were delayed for longer due to the cascading effect of the diversions.

“Flights had to be diverted to nearby airports, with the maximum – 15 flights being diverted to the Jaipur airport. This was followed by nine flights to the Lucknow airport,” an airport official said. Two flights were sent to Ahmedabad, three to Amritsar and one to Chandigarh.

Bad weather on Wednesday night was a combination of wind shear, lightning and intense rain, meteorological officials said. Wind shear is clocked when strong winds with opposing directions and intensities occur during a storm, making it difficult for flights to land.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said winds touching 45kmph were recorded at Palam, the closest weather station to the airport, which recorded 68mm of rainfall between 5.30pm on Wednesday and 8.30am on Thursday.

Officials said 16 IndiGo flights, six Air India flights and one each from Vistara, Alliance Air, Air India Express, American Airlines, Emirates, Akasa Air and Cathay Pacific, besides a chartered flight, were diverted. As over 100 flights were also delayed, airlines and travellers took to social media to share information and advisories.

“Flights to and from Delhi may get affected due to bad weather this evening. Guests are advised to start early for the airport, as slow traffic and waterlogging may delay movement,” Air India posted on X.

“Started at 7pm from Raipur to Delhi, was a direct flight for about 1.25 hours, however still not reached Delhi. Feeling lucky to enjoy such a long ride with no clue as to by when will get down from the aircraft,” Deepak Gupta, a passenger on-board a flight, said.