Delhi Airport News: 44% of Flight Departures Delayed by Post-Diwali Smog
Delhi Airport News
Severe post-Diwali air pollution combined with seasonal winter conditions has disrupted aviation operations in the national capital. Smog and shallow fog sharply reduced visibility at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, prompting airport authorities to activate low-visibility protocols.
On Diwali night, IGI Airport initiated its first Low Visibility Procedure (LVP) for the 2026–27 winter season. The dense layer of toxic haze significantly limited runway visual range (RVR), forcing air traffic control and airlines to slow down departure sequences to ensure complete flight safety.
Between midnight on November 8 and 8:00 PM on November 9, nearly half of all scheduled departures experienced delays. Despite the operational backlog for departing aircraft, arriving flights managed to land with minimal disruption.
Although Delhi Airport is equipped with advanced Category III (CAT-III) Instrument Landing Systems, this technology alone cannot eliminate delays during severe low-visibility events.
- Runway Visual Range (RVR): Flight operations depend heavily on real-time visual distance along the runway. Extreme smog drops RVR below operational thresholds.
- Pilot Qualifications: Operating under CAT-III conditions requires pilots with specialized low-visibility training and active certification.
- Aircraft Equipment: Not all commercial aircraft in an airline’s fleet carry identical precision landing technology.
- Separation Buffer: Air traffic controllers must maintain larger physical gaps between aircraft during low-visibility operations, reducing overall runway capacity per hour.
Ajeet Yadav is an aviation enthusiast covering airline news, airports, aircraft, and industry developments through well-researched and reliable reporting.
