NEW DELHI: The strong storm along with heavy downpour on Saturday night severely impacted flight operations at the Delhi Airport. As many as 49 flights were diverted between 11.30 pm (Saturday) and 4 am (Sunday) due to adverse weather conditions, while over two hundred cancellations were reported, the airport authorities said.
The diverted aircraft included 17 international flights.The airport and airlines issued multiple advisories where they urged passengers to keep checking their flight’s status and stay in touch with their respective airlines for the latest updates.
Heavy rain also damaged the newly designed membrane shade at the airport’s Terminal 1, which was installed after a fatal incident last year.
A video of the incident went viral on social media which showed people standing near a covered area where several cars were parked. As the rain intensified, the membrane shade partially collapsed, giving way and allowing water to pour down onto the vehicles and flow toward those nearby, prompting them to move away.
The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), the airport’s operator, acknowledged that sudden downpour led to temporary waterlogging in and around the airport and damage to the canopy.
“Delhi experienced an intense thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rainfall during the intervening night of May 24, 2025. The city recorded over 80mm of rain with wind speeds touching 70–80 km/h within a short span of 30 to 45 minutes around 2:00 am.
This sudden and concentrated downpour led to temporary water accumulation in and around IGI Airport, briefly impacting operations. As a part of the design’s natural response to extreme conditions and to prevent excessive water retention, a section of the external tensile fabric at the T1 Arrival forecourt adjusted under pressure, thereby aiding in water dispersal. There was no structural compromise or impact to other parts of the terminal,” the statement read.