Over 240 flights experienced delays at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday due to the ongoing closure of the fourth runway and adverse easterly winds.
According to flight tracking website Flightradar24, the average delay time was 30 minutes. However, airport officials reported that no flights were diverted to nearby airports. This situation is likely to continue till May 4.
What did the airport authorities say?
Delhi airport said on its microblogging platform X, "Due to shifting wind patterns in the vicinity of the airport, certain airline operations may experience delays." Meanwhile, passengers were advised to stay in touch with their airlines.
"Air traffic flow management measures for Flight Arrivals will be implemented from 1430 IST till 1830 IST today by ATC authorities to ensure safe operations, in accordance with international and regulatory protocols, keeping passenger safety as the highest priority," they added.
Why the Delays?
On April 8, Runway 28/10 was closed for an upgrade to its Instrument Landing System (ILS).
Due to a change in wind direction from west to east, airport operations are affected. Only a few runways can be used for takeoffs and landings in these conditions.
According to reports, an average of 240 flights are being delayed per day due to the disruption, severely impacting one of the country's busiest airports.
On April 25, airport operator Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) warned that flights might be disrupted from April 26 to May 4.
According to Flightradar24, over 880 flights were delayed on April 20, with 384 arrivals and 501 departures affected. Earlier, on April 12, 498 flights were delayed due to a severe thunderstorm.
