As many as eight flights were diverted from the Delhi airport on Monday morning due to bad weather, an official said.
The flights were diverted between 6 am and 9 am, according to the official.
Total 8 flights diverted
A total of eight flights were diverted to Jaipur in Rajasthan and one was diverted to Ahmedabad in Gujarat, the official said.
Foggy conditions improved as the day wore on, and around 9:45 AM, runway visibility was above 500 metres.
Adverse weather conditions affect air traffic
The adverse weather conditions led to significant delays and diversions of flights since early morning. According to reports, several domestic and international flights were either delayed or diverted to nearby airports as pilots navigated the challenging conditions. SpiceJet issued a statement warning passengers of potential disruptions to both departures and arrivals due to the fog.
Delhi airport issues travel advisory
Delhi Airport on Monday issued a passenger advisory after thick fog affected operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.
"While landings and take-offs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted," reads the advisory issued by Delhi Airport.
The airport authorities initiated the anti-fog landing system, technically called the CAT-lll Instrument Landing System (ILS). The CAT III system helps with a precision approach and landing when the runway visibility level is low.
Flight operations at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad affected
Similarly, flight operations at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad also got affected due to dense fog.
As the cold wave tightened its grip on North India, the national capital woke up to an even colder morning accompanied by dense fog on Monday.
The temperature in Delhi on Monday morning was recorded at 9.4 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Visibility dropped to 125 meters in several parts of Delhi, and most parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) also experienced low visibility.
Delhi's air quality on Monday remained in the 'very poor'
On Sunday, the minimum temperature had settled at 9.1 degrees Celsius.
Visuals from Lodhi Road, Munirka, RK Puram, and Ring Road near AIIMS depicted a thick layer of fog hanging overhead, with only a few vehicles and commuters venturing out into the streets.
Additionally, Delhi's air quality on Monday remained in the 'very poor' category, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) hovering around 400, according to data provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
