Fogs delay flights to Delhi

While international carriers were not majorly affected as many had re-scheduled flights as early as mid-December for day departures, the first Indian airlines flight to leave was IC 165 to Mumbai, three-and-half hours late. Three incoming flights, from Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai were diverted to Ahmedabad as fog enveloped the capital in the early hours of the day, an airline spokesman said.

Till late afternoon the domestic carrier had not cancelled any flights although it was battling with the huge backlog.

Jet airways said 11 of its flights were delayed, including three to Mumbai and one each to Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Khajuraho. Many of the private airlines flights including those from Mumbai and Chennai were diverted to Jaipur.

Last night Jet’s Mumbai-Delhi flight had to be diverted to Lucknow because of poor weather conditions.

An Airport Authority of India (AAI) spokesman said all out efforts had been made at the international and domestic airport to cater to passengers of delayed flights, and visitors. Automatic inquiry systems were operational and more restaurants and snack counters had been set up.

Airports were crowded with stranded passengers as airlines coped with the problem of clearing the backlog of flights.