BENGALURU: Severe thunderstorms and lightning at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on Saturday evening forced the diversion of 20 incoming flights, including two international ones, from Bengaluru to Chennai and Coimbatore.
The weather conditions impacted the airport from 4 pm to 5.45 pm with a few flights operated on and off whenever the weather improved during this period.
A source of the airport operator, BIAL told TNIE, “A total of 20 flights, including two international ones, could not land at Bengaluru airport due to heavy rain. It included 12 IndiGo flights, 4 Air India Express and two each of Akasa Air and Air India. The flights were diverted to Chennai and Coimbatore airports.”
Flights from Hyderabad, Mumbai, Shirdi, Durgapur, Port Blair, Ayodhya, Goa and Bagdogra were also diverted. “Ten departing flights were also delayed by 30 to 40 minutes,” the source said.
IMD Director at Airport, CS Patil told TNIE, “The airport area received 4 cm of rainfall in the evening which is moderate. However, there were severe thunderstorms and heavy lightning. There were variable winds over the airfield too. The visibility at the airport dipped upto 600 metres at a point which is low.”