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Cold wave in north India: 129 flights cancelled at Delhi airport, thick smog blankets Delhi-NCR

Flight delay updates: Airlines including Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet have issued advisories warning passengers of possible flight delays and cancellations due to dense fog and poor visibility across northern India.

4 min readUpdated: Dec 20, 2025 02:44 PM IST

Airlines have issued advisories urging passengers to check flight status before travel.

Dense fog across northern India is likely to disrupt flight operations at several airports, including Delhi and Chandigarh.

Flight delay updates: Dense fog conditions are expected to persist across large parts of northern India, likely disrupting flight operations over the next few days. At least 129 flights were cancelled at the Delhi airport on Saturday due to dense fog, according to an official.

As a result, major airlines have issued travel advisories and alerted passengers to possible delays and cancellations. Visibility plunged across parts of Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad and other places in the National Capital Region on Saturday morning, with buildings and flyovers fading into a grey blur amid dense fog, as the capital’s AQI edged closer to the ‘severe’ category at 384.

Flight operations have been disrupted for the past several days at Delhi and other airports due to dense fog, resulting in low visibility conditions. The official said at least 66 arrivals and 63 departures have been cancelled.

“Low Visibility Procedures are currently in progress at Delhi Airport. All flight operations are functioning normally,” Delhi airport operator DIAL said in a post on X in the afternoon.

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) operates the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), the country’s largest airport, which generally handles around 1,300 flights daily.

Several parts of the capital were enveloped in dense smog and fog during early morning hours, leading to poor visibility, a situation forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) a day earlier, officials said.

In Delhi, dense fog shrouded the region, forcing airport authorities to manage landings and takeoffs under CAT III conditions. Several flights were delayed, cancelled or rescheduled as low visibility persisted through the morning hours.

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At Patna airport in Bihar, multiple flights were delayed and a few cancelled due to thick fog blanketing the region. Visuals from the airport showed severely reduced visibility, impacting normal flight movements.

Airlines alert passengers amid fog conditions

Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet said reduced visibility at several airports could affect arrivals and departures, particularly at Delhi, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jammu, Lucknow, Varanasi, Patna, Ranchi and Hindon.

Travel Advisory

Low visibility and fog over #Ranchi, #Jammu and #Hindon (Airport) may impact flight schedules. We are closely monitoring the weather and doing our best to get you where you need to be, safely and smoothly.

We request that you stay updated on your flight status…

— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 19, 2025

The airlines said they are closely monitoring weather conditions and have activated ground support teams to assist passengers.

IndiGo and SpiceJet also cautioned that poor visibility could affect schedules, advising travellers to stay in touch with airlines for real-time updates as safety protocols remain in place.

#TravelAdvisory

Air India continues to remain vigilant and will make every effort to mitigate fog-related disruptions. We understand how important your travel plans are, especially during this holiday season, and we are working round the clock to minimise any inconvenience.

As…

— Air India (@airindia) December 19, 2025

AAI issues advisory for flyers

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has informed that reduced visibility due to fog across parts of northern India may affect flight operations at select airports, leading to possible delays or disruptions.

Passengers have been advised to stay in regular touch with their respective airlines for real-time updates, rely only on official communication channels, and allow extra time for travel and airport procedures.

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Also Read | 9 flights cancelled due to dense fog

AAI said that dedicated passenger facilitation teams have been deployed at airports to assist travellers and ensure their convenience during the period of low visibility.

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