Operations at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport were severely hit by a blanket of dense fog on Tuesday, leading to mass disruptions. From late Monday night until 7:00 pm on Tuesday, 118 flights were cancelled, 16 were diverted, and approximately 400 flights faced delays due to poor visibility and the subsequent implementation of the CAT III landing protocol.
Ministry Of Civil Aviation Steps In
Taking serious cognisance of the situation, the Ministry of Civil Aviation went into active mode on Tuesday to minimise passenger inconvenience. Observing the adverse weather conditions, the Ministry instructed all airlines to strictly adhere to rules regarding passenger welfare.
Mandatory Facilities: Airlines must provide meals for delayed flights and ensure prompt redressal of complaints.
Cancellations And Boarding: Carriers must offer re-booking or refunds for cancelled flights and are prohibited from denying boarding to passengers who check in on time.
Passenger Advisory: The Ministry advised passengers to check flight status with their respective airlines before leaving for the airport and was seen actively addressing passenger grievances on its official 'X' handle.
Earlier, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), along with major carriers like Air India and IndiGo, issued a series of advisories. DIAL provided operational updates to passengers at intervals of every three to four hours.
Operational Timeline
The disruption peaked around 12:00 am on Tuesday, when visibility on all runways dropped below 300 metres. Consequently, the CAT III instrument landing system was activated and remained in force until 6:00 am. Flight operations gradually resumed normalisation only after visibility improved later in the day.
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Why Delays Persist Despite CAT III Technology
While CAT III technology allows aircraft to land in low or near-zero visibility, its effectiveness is often limited by systemic issues within the Indian aviation sector.
Pilot Shortage: Regulations mandate that flights operating in North India during winter must be crewed by a pilot and co-pilot trained in CAT III operations. However, there is a significant shortage of such trained personnel.
Aging Fleet: To utilise CAT III, the aircraft itself must be equipped with specific advanced machinery. Many aircraft in Indian fleets are older and are currently in the process of being refurbished, leaving them ill-equipped for these conditions.
Training Infrastructure: Advanced infrastructure required for training pilots in CAT III operations is still under development in the country.
Until these gaps in pilot training and fleet modernisation are bridged, fog-related disruptions are likely to persist despite the availability of advanced airport navigation systems.