Dense fog brings travel chaos to Delhi, passengers face delays ahead of new year

A thick layer of fog covered Delhi and several parts of north India on Monday morning, throwing travel plans of thousands of passengers into chaos. Low visibility conditions led to widespread delays and cancellations of flights, especially during the early hours of the day.

At the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, flight operations were badly affected as visibility levels dropped sharply across the National Capital Region (NCR)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Delhi on December 30, warning of dense fog across the region. Weather officials said the fog is likely to continue for the next few days, mainly disrupting travel during the busy New Year period.

Responding to the situation, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) cautioned travellers about possible flight delays and urged them to check flight status regularly through airline communication channels.

The authority also advised passengers to reach airports early, as check-in and security procedures may take longer due to weather-related disruptions. Assistance teams have been deployed at affected airports to help stranded travellers.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) also tweet, directing airlines to strictly follow passenger welfare guidelines. These include timely updates, meals for delayed passengers, rebooking or refunds in case of cancellations, and proper handling of baggage and complaints. The ministry assured that it is closely monitoring the situation to ensure passenger safety and convenience.

Although visibility reportedly improved slightly after 9 am, the early morning disruptions had a knock-on effect on flight schedules throughout the day.

According to IMD, foggy conditions are expected to persist over Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and western Uttar Pradesh till at least January 1, with early mornings and late nights remaining the most affected.