Dense fog across Delhi and several parts of north India continued to disrupt flight operations on Friday, forcing airlines to cancel and delay services at major airports. Budget carrier IndiGo cancelled as many as 90 flights on December 19, while Air India warned passengers to brace for cascading delays across its network as low visibility conditions persist.
IndiGo said foggy weather in Delhi and surrounding regions severely impacted early morning operations, affecting visibility and flight movement. The cancellations included key domestic routes such as Delhi–Mumbai, Delhi–Hyderabad, Delhi–Nagpur, Delhi–Ahmedabad and several connections to eastern and southern cities. A few international services were also impacted.
The latest disruption comes even as IndiGo has been working to stabilise operations after recent challenges linked to crew shortages and technical issues. In a statement issued early Friday, the airline said fog during winter is a seasonal phenomenon and that flight movements are being managed carefully to ensure safety. Passengers travelling during early hours were advised to check the latest flight status before leaving for the airport.
Delhi airport authorities also issued a passenger advisory, noting that dense fog is affecting flight schedules. Ground staff, the airport said, are on standby to assist passengers and manage congestion inside terminals.
Other airlines were also hit. SpiceJet cancelled its Delhi–Ahmedabad flight SG8193 due to low visibility, offering affected passengers a full refund or the option to travel on the next available service.
Air India, meanwhile, cautioned that fog conditions forecast by the weather department for Delhi and parts of northern and eastern India could disrupt schedules through the day, with knock-on effects across its network.
As part of its ‘Fog Care’ initiative, Air India has activated an alert system to inform passengers in advance and is allowing one-time flight changes or full refunds without penalty in case of disruption.
Passengers flying to or from Delhi and other fog-prone airports have been advised to regularly monitor airline websites and apps for real-time updates before heading to the airport.