300 flights delayed, 28 cancelled at IGIA

More than 300 flights were delayed and 28 cancelled on Friday when heavy fog enveloped the international airport in Delhi.

More than 300 flights were delayed and 28 cancelled on Friday when heavy fog enveloped the international airport in Delhi.

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The fog created havoc and both international and domestic flights got delayed by more than six hours. The general visibility fell below 50 meters, leading to cancellations, diversions and delays.

Friday turned out to be the 3rd most dense fog day this winter. The IGIA's met department said dense fog will once again envelop the airport from 2am to 10am on Saturday.

A group of Canadian Members of Parliament (MPs), who were to play a friendly ice hockey match in Leh (Ladakh), were among those stranded at Terminal 3 of the airport. Their Air India flight to Leh had to be cancelled due to dense fog.

The five MPs from Canada had flown into New Delhi to play a friendly ice hockey match in Leh, which is famous for its winter sports.

"We are mulling the option of hiring a chartered plane, as the flight has been cancelled. But looking at the weather today it seems that the chartered plane will be able to take off only when the fog gets mild," said Brian Jean, MP from Fort McMurray-Athabasca in Canada.

The sudden cancellation of flights also irked the Canadians.

"We were not informed about the cancellation. I don't know when and how we are going to reach Leh now," said Scot Slessor, consul general, consulate general of Canada, Chandigarh.