In a day marked by aviation turmoil, Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport faced widespread cancellations and delays, with IndiGo bearing the brunt. The disruption was attributed to the dense fog and poor visibility at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, the nation’s busiest air hub.
Approximately 18 departures and 15 arrivals in Mumbai were canceled, predominantly affecting IndiGo-operated flights. Notably, an Air Mauritius flight (MK-744) bound for Delhi diverted and landed in Mumbai, prompting accommodation for its 169 passengers in a hotel, with a rescheduled departure at 10:15 pm.
Cities such as Chennai, Bengaluru, Nagpur, Delhi, Prayagraj, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Chandigarh, Srinagar, and Aurangabad witnessed canceled arrivals to Mumbai. Departures to Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Prayagraj, Bareilli, Nagpur, Kanpur, and Visakhapatnam were also affected.
IndiGo issued a statement attributing the disruptions to low visibility and dense fog prevailing across North India, creating a cascading impact on their operations throughout the day. The airline assured passengers that staff kept them informed about delays and cancellations, making every effort to assist them.
Adding to the chaos, Mumbai airport temporarily suspended arrival and departure operations for an hour, from 12 pm to 1 pm, facilitating Indian Air Force air exercises over Marine Drive.
Earlier, dense fog lasting nearly 11 hours on Sunday severely disrupted flight and rail operations in the capital city, causing extensive delays and cancellations. Visibility dropped below 200 meters at 12:30 am and remained at zero for approximately seven and a half hours, from 3 am to 10:30 am. Around 400 flights were delayed, 10 were diverted, and at least 20 were canceled. Delays persisted until the evening, despite improved visibility for five hours, from 12 pm to 5 pm, due to sunlight.