NEW DELHI: A wave of delays has crippled flight operations at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, with over 200 outbound flights reported delayed on Monday and nearly half of all arriving flights also running behind schedule.
The disruption, caused by a combination of strong easterly winds and the ongoing upgrade of Runway 28/10, has led to widespread chaos and growing frustration among passengers.
While the easterly winds—an annual weather pattern—have imposed stringent flow restrictions, the temporary closure of a crucial runway has added to the airport’s operational woes.
According to data from the flight tracking website Flightradar24, delays are averaging around 30 minutes. However, no flights have been diverted to other airports.
The runway upgrade, which began on April 8, involves improvements to the Instrument Landing System (ILS), essential for navigation in low-visibility conditions.
As per the latest advisory released by the Delhi airport, flight operations remained impacted between 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and 12:30 a.m. Wednesday due to the altered wind conditions.
The situation is expected to persist until at least May 4.
In response, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), which operates IGI Airport, along with Air Traffic Control (ATC), has ramped up efforts to manage the crisis.
Ten additional air traffic controllers have been deployed—six in area control and four in approach—raising ATC’s operational capacity by nearly 30 per cent.
“On an average day, 35 air traffic controllers manage Delhi’s airspace. Given the current crisis, we have added ten more,” said a senior official from the Air Traffic Controllers' Guild. “The delay is not in the air, but is likely occurring on the ground,” he added.
The official further criticized the lack of proactive planning, blaming the airport’s failure to upgrade Runway 10/28 in a timely manner and the shortage of ATC staff for worsening the disruption.
“Easterly winds are a known seasonal phenomenon, yet the absence of a functioning runway and adequate personnel has made the situation worse. Despite Delhi being the busiest airport in the country, we operate under the same Watch Duty Time Limitation (WDTL) as smaller airports—only two hours. The government must address this if we are to manage such high volumes of air traffic efficiently,” the official explained.
With social media flooded by passenger complaints and airlines scrambling to rearrange schedules, the crisis underscores the need for better preparedness at the country’s busiest aviation hub.