Delhi Airport Flight Status Today Live Updates: IGI Airport Likely To Face Flight Cancellations, Air India Issues Fog Advisory

Fog enveloped many areas of Delhi this morning, but visibility was better than in previous days. Visibility at Indira Gandhi International Airport was 600 metres at 8:30 am

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a generally cloudy sky for Thursday, with light to very light rain expected in some areas of Delhi. The weather department has warned that moderate fog and dense fog are likely in many areas during the morning. Furthermore, cold day-like conditions are expected in some areas.

Air India alerted its passengers on Wednesday about expected disruptions on Thursday morning.

"Weather forecasts for tomorrow morning indicate low visibility due to fog in parts of northern India, including Delhi, which may impact flight schedules across the network. We understand how important your travel plans are and have taken proactive steps to minimise disruptions. In the event your flight experiences an unexpected delay, diversion, or cancellation, our ground teams are ready and waiting to provide you with every possible assistance. Our ‘FogCare’ initiative provides advance alerts to passengers on flights most likely to be affected. It offers the option for you to either reschedule your flight at no extra cost or receive a full refund," Air India posted on X.

Delhi woke up to a bitterly cold New Year's morning. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) on Thursday morning was recorded at 382, which falls in the very poor category. 

Weather experts said that as the western disturbance weakens, cold winds from the north will intensify, increasing the chill in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi-NCR, and Uttar Pradesh. This effect could extend to Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh from January 3-4, where cold wave conditions could develop. IMD has issued a cold day warning for several parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

The CAT-III landing system is a state-of-the-art instrument landing system that enables aircraft to land safely on the runway even in conditions of extremely low visibility, dense fog, or smog. The system includes a ground-based ILS, autopilot, high-intensity runway lights, and advanced navigation equipment. Under CAT-III, the pilot does not need to visually see the runway, as the aircraft lands based on technical signals. The CAT III system plays a vital role in ensuring flight continuity and passenger safety during winter at fog-prone airports like Delhi.

On Wednesday morning, the runway visual range at Delhi Airport was recorded at 50 to 100 metres at several locations. Visibility was so low that, despite the state-of-the-art CAT-III landing system installed, flight operations became extremely risky. The situation improved slightly in the afternoon, but by then, flight schedules had been completely disrupted.

Total flight cancellations at the Delhi Airport stand at 394 in three days. This includes 128 flights on December 29, 118 on December 30, and 148 on Wednesday, December 31.