Delhi IGI airport sees 130+ cancellations, extra security, elaborate checking

Due to airspace restrictions amid India-Pakistan tensions, 138 flights were cancelled and 200 delayed at Delhi airport. Enhanced security measures are in place.

As many as 138 flights at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport were cancelled between 5am and 2:30pm on Friday due to airspace restrictions amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, officials said.

Flight Information at Terminal 3 of IGI Airport on Friday. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

Notably, Delhi’s IGI is the only major airport in north India that currently remains operational after the Civil Aviation Ministry on Thursday informed that 24 airports were so far closed for civil flight operations. Airports in a few neighbouring cities such as Dehradun, Lucknow, and Jaipur, among others, are also functioning as of now.

Moreover, security has also been beefed up at the airport, with additional security measures put in place – as mandated by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) late on Thursday night.

Besides the cancelled flights — 129 domestic and nine international — over 200 flights were delayed at the airport, data from the website FlightRadar24 showed.

“Delhi airport operations remain normal. However, due to evolving airspace conditions and strengthened security measures, there may be impact to some flight schedules and longer processing times at security checkpoints,” the Delhi airport said in a statement.

Meanwhile, airlines asked passengers to reach the airport at least three hours before the scheduled time. “In view of an order by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security on enhanced measures at airports, passengers across India are advised to arrive at their respective airports at least three hours prior to scheduled departure to ensure smooth check-in and boarding. Check-in closes 75 minutes before departure,” Air India mentioned in a social media post.

A similar statement was issued by Akasa Airlines. “Due to enhanced security measures at all airports across India, we request you to reach the airport at least 3 hours prior to departure, to ensure a seamless check-in and boarding experience. Please ensure you carry valid government approved photo identification documents for entry to the airport. In addition to your check-in baggage, only one hand bag weighing upto 7kgs will be permitted. As per regulatory guidelines, all passengers will be required to undergo secondary security checks prior to boarding,” the airline said.

On Thursday, over 90 flights were cancelled at IGI airport, with over 200 delayed. BCAS had instructed the remaining operational airports across the country to ramp up security measures and carry out additional checks. The directions include secondary ladder point checking (SLPC) at all airports – meaning an additional set of security checks of a passenger and their baggage before boarding. Further, the entry of visitors in the terminal has been stopped and additional security checks of vehicles and passengers outside the terminal will also be carried out, the directions mentioned.