'Hostage-like' situation at Delhi Airport; Over 50 flights delayed after dust storm

A powerful dust storm that swept through Delhi and NCR on Friday evening has thrown flight schedules into disarray, leading to a full-blown crisis at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Over 205 flights were delayed, with at least 50 diversions reported, triggering hours-long delays and widespread passenger frustration.

According to sources, the average delay for flight departures stood at one hour. However, passengers reported being stranded for far longer. A wheelchair-bound senior citizen said that she had been waiting at the Delhi airport for over 12 hours. “We could not land in Delhi due to the storm. But we have been stuck here since 11 pm,” she said.

Another flier Himani Mishra, who was flying by Air India from the national capital to Varanasi told Taaza TV that her flight was scheduled at 7:25 pm but was delayed over 5 hours. Adding to the passengers' woes, there were allegedly no announcements and updates. Himani shared her ordeal claiming that kids were crying, and elders were uncomfortable. She accused the airline of poor management as no clear information was given to the passengers. Agitated passengers even raised slogans against Air India which was seen in the video shared by Himani. 

Many fliers vented their anger on social media, describing the scene as “worse than a bus stand.” One passenger recounted their harrowing experience: “We landed in Chandigarh instead of Delhi due to the storm. Then we were flown back to Delhi at 11 pm, only to wait inside another aircraft for four hours and be deboarded again. It’s 8 am now and our Mumbai flight still hasn’t taken off.”

Air India and IndiGo posted advisories acknowledging delays and diversions due to the storm. “Poor weather, caused by heavy thunderstorms and gusty winds, has affected flight operations across parts of Northern India,” said Air India in a statement. IndiGo cited ongoing airside congestion as a contributing factor to continued delays even after weather conditions improved.

The Delhi Airport authority also issued an advisory, asking passengers to check with airlines for the latest updates. It stated that inclement weather had disrupted several scheduled flights and apologized for the inconvenience caused.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an ‘orange’ alert for the capital, warning of further thunderstorms and lightning throughout the day. Friday’s storm followed a similar weather event the previous day, causing fallen tree branches, vehicle damage, and power outages in areas like Narela, Bawana, Badli, and Mangolpuri. Visuals from Mandi House showed tree limbs blocking roads.