Dense Fog Disrupts Flights at Delhi’s IGI Airport

For the second day running, Delhi is battling dense fog, which is severely disrupting flight operations at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. As of Saturday morning, the adverse weather has badly affected flights and passengers.

Flight Delays and Diversions
The reduced visibility at IGI Airport has resulted in huge delays and diversions:

Departure Delays: As of 8:00 AM, an average delay of 37 minutes was reported.
Flight Delays: Almost 100 flights were delayed.
Diversions: Six inbound flights were diverted to other airports.
Friday Impact: More than 400 flights were delayed due to poor visibility.

Advisory for Non-CAT III Compliant Flights
The airport has issued a specific advisory for passengers and airlines:
Flights not equipped with Category III (CAT III) compliant systems may face operational challenges.
Passengers are being advised to consult with the concerned airlines to confirm current situations.

CAT III Instrument Landing System Explained
The CAT III system is one of the sophisticated types of ILS used by the instrument, aimed at aiding the pilot to safely land under reduced visibility situations like fogs, snowfall, or rains.

Classification of CAT III:

CAT III A: RVR greater than 200m is permitted to be landed.
CAT III B: Support landing when the RVR measures between 50 and 200 meters.
CAT III C: Supports landing without any visibility at all.

While CAT III C is available on airports such as New York’s JFK and London’s Heathrow, no airport in India today has this sophistication.

Indian Airports with CAT III Systems
India has CAT III B -certified runways on the following six airports:

Delhi
Lucknow
Jaipur
Amritsar
Bengaluru
Kolkata

Delhi’s IGI Airport first installed CAT III A in 2001 and upgraded to CAT III B in 2005, incorporating advanced systems like ASMGCS (Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems) for enhanced navigation.

Weather Impact on Other Transport
Dense fog has also disrupted other transportation systems in Delhi:

Train Services: Numerous trains are delayed or rescheduled due to poor visibility.
Road Travel: Drivers face severe low visibility on city roads, which creates jams and accidents.

Air Quality
The air quality of Delhi has remained in the ‘very poor’ category, with an AQI of 351, and is worsening further for the locals and visitors alike.

Travel Advisory
Passengers traveling through IGI Airport should:

Keep Self-Informed: Frequent inquiries with airlines for updated flight timings.
Plan in Advance: Ensure that sufficient travel time to the airport is given, accounting for a possible delay or two.
Confirm Compliance: That flights be cat III compliant in order to prevent cancellation and diversion.

Heavy fog is forecast to continue into the weekend and disrupt air, rail, and road traffic. Governments and airlines have been told to minimize inconvenience for passengers.