Delhi flight news: Stakeholders working to reduce fog-related disruptions, says Scindia; DGCA says airlines may cancel flights delayed beyond 3 hours

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Monday that all stakeholders are working around the clock to limit fog-related impact as well as customer discomfort, following a severe disruption in aircraft operations at Delhi International Airport due to low visibility. In light of an incident in which an unruly passenger assaulted the pilot of a Goa-bound IndiGo flight, the minister stated that such behaviour will not be tolerated.

Scindia said the aviation regulator DGCA will issue a SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to ensure "better communication and facilitation of passengers to minimise discomfort in view of flight cancellations and delays due to adverse weather" a day after poor visibility forced the Delhi airport to briefly shut down runway operations.

Furthermore, airport operator DIAL has been asked to expedite the functioning of the CAT III-capable fourth runway. Flight operations can take place even in low-visibility conditions when a runway is CAT-III compliant.

On Sunday, 10 flights were diverted, and many were cancelled or delayed, resulting in long waits at the airport and aboard the aircraft, and many passengers went to social media to voice their frustration.

In a post on X, Scindia said, "Yesterday, Delhi witnessed unprecedented fog wherein visibility fluctuated for several hours, and at times, dropped to zero between 5 AM to 9 AM.

The authorities, therefore, were compelled to enforce a shut-down of operations for some time even on CAT III runways (CAT III runways cannot handle Zero-Visibility operations). The decision was taken keeping passenger safety in mind, which remains the foremost priority for all in the aviation ecosystem. 

However, to mitigate the situation in the near future, following steps have been taken: 
a.@DelhiAirport has been asked to immediately expedite the operationalization of the CAT III-enabled 4th runway (in addition to the existing CAT III-enabled runway) to the satisfaction of the @DGCAIndia , in order to get approvals.

b.The DGCA will issue an SOP for airlines on better communication and facilitation of passengers to minimise discomfort in view of flight cancellations & delays due to adverse weather. 

It is my earnest request to all travellers to bear with us during this difficult period. All stakeholders are trying their best to minimize passenger inconvenience. Incidences of unruly behaviour amidst this are unacceptable, and will be dealt with strongly in line with the existing legal provisions. 

I would like to assure everyone that all stakeholders are working round the clock to minimise the fog-related impact."

Yesterday, Delhi witnessed unprecedented fog wherein visibility fluctuated for several hours, and at times, dropped to zero between 5 AM to 9 AM.

The authorities, therefore, were compelled to enforce a shut-down of operations for some time even on CAT III runways (CAT III…

— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) January 15, 2024

DGCA says airlines may cancel flights delayed beyond 3 hours

Meanwhile, aviation watchdog DGCA has requested airlines on Monday to broadcast accurate real-time information about flight delays and to effectively sensitise airport staff to interact with passengers during fog-related disruptions.

In light of a substantial number of flights being delayed or cancelled, and customers encountering difficult circumstances, the regulator has issued a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), airlines shall disclose accurate real-time information about flight delays.

According to a release, there should also be sufficient sensitization of airline staff at airports to appropriately engage with, guide, and inform passengers about flight delays.

The aviation authority said, "In view of the prevalent fog season and adverse weather conditions, airlines may cancel, sufficiently in advance, such flights that are anticipated to be delayed or consequentially delayed on account of such conditions beyond a period of 3 hours with a view to obviate congestion at the airport and mitigate passenger inconvenience." 

The SOPs have been issued in view of the "fog-induced disruptions and adverse weather conditions at various airports, including Delhi airport, causing delays, cancellations and inconvenience to passengers", an official release added.

Delhi witnesses unprecedented foggy conditions

He said that Delhi witnessed unprecedented fog conditions on Sunday, wherein visibility fluctuated for several hours, dropping to zero between 5 am and 9 am.

According to him, the authorities were forced to impose a temporary stoppage of operations, even on CAT-III runways. The decision was made with passenger safety in mind, which remains the top concern for everyone in the aviation industry, he continued.

CAT III runways are incapable of handling zero visibility operations.

Scindia stated that while all parties are working around the clock to reduce the fog's impact, certain efforts are also being made to ameliorate the issue in the near future.

In order to obtain permissions, Delhi airport has been requested to hasten the operationalization of the CAT III-enabled fourth runway, in addition to the current CAT III-enabled runway, as soon as possible.

Further, the minister said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will issue an SOP for airlines on better communication and facilitation of passengers to minimise discomfort in view of flight cancellations and delays due to adverse weather.

"It is my earnest request to all travellers to bear with us during this difficult period. All stakeholders are trying their best to minimise passenger inconvenience. Incidences of unruly behaviour amidst this are unacceptable, and will be dealt with strongly in line with the existing legal provisions," he said.

Flight cancellations at Delhi airport

Due to inclement weather, five flights were diverted at Delhi International Airport on Monday.

Flight operations have been disrupted in recent weeks due to dense fog and the absence of CAT III-compliant pilots.

Flight operations at Delhi airport were considerably hampered last December 25-28, with approximately 60 aircraft of various airlines diverted due to dense fog.

According to airport sources, 58 planes were diverted owing to inclement weather between 12 a.m. on December 25 and 6 a.m. on December 28.

Following diversions of different flights under dense fog at the Delhi airport in late December, the aviation regulator DGCA issued show cause notes to Air India and SpiceJet for failing to deploy pilots trained to operate in poor visibility conditions.

(With Agency Inputs)