Major update after 800 flight delays at Delhi airport: Can you board on time today?

Major Update After 800 Flight Delays at Delhi Airport: Can You Board on Time Today?

By The Vagabond News | November 8, 2025 | New Delhi

Mass Delays Spark Passenger Chaos at IGI Airport

More than 800 domestic and international flights were delayed or rescheduled at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Friday, following a combination of dense morning fog, air traffic congestion, and technical disruptions in runway operations.

Airport officials confirmed that the delays, which began early Friday morning, extended well into the late evening, leaving passengers stranded for hours in terminals across all three airports — T1, T2, and T3.

“Operations were hit primarily by low visibility and a sequence of ATC slowdowns due to excessive flight density,”
— Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) spokesperson

DGCA Steps In: Flight Slot Adjustments Ordered

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed airlines to revise their flight slots and ground handling schedules for the weekend to reduce cascading delays.
Under the revised plan, non-critical flights between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. may be temporarily rescheduled until weather and visibility improve.

According to a senior DGCA official, “Airlines have been asked to prioritize on-time departures for connecting and international flights.”

Sources say that ATC staff shortages and “temporary radar synchronization issues” also contributed to Friday’s crisis — one of the worst seen since last winter’s operational disruptions.

Passengers Report Long Queues, Poor Communication

Hundreds of passengers took to social media, complaining of poor coordination and lack of updates from airlines.
Videos from inside Terminal 3 showed crowded boarding gates, stranded families, and exhausted travellers waiting for hours.

“Our 6 a.m. flight to Bengaluru finally left at 1:40 p.m., with no updates in between,”
— Passenger Nidhi Mehra, who shared her experience on X (formerly Twitter)

Some airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, and Vistara, issued apologies and offered rescheduling waivers for affected passengers.

Weather and Pollution Add to Woes

Friday’s disruption coincided with poor air quality and dense smog that lowered visibility below 200 metres during early morning hours.
Meteorological officials said Runway 29R — equipped for CAT III-B operations — remained functional, but reduced throughput slowed departure rates.

“Low-visibility procedures were in effect from 4:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.,”
— IMD Senior Meteorologist Kuldeep Srivastava

What Passengers Should Know Today

Check flight status before leaving home via airline apps or delhiairport.com
Arrive early — at least 3.5 hours before international flights and 2 hours before domestic
Expect minor delays on Saturday morning as rescheduling continues
Fog and visibility alerts remain in place until 9 a.m. Saturday

Airlines and airport authorities have jointly deployed additional ground staff and customer service teams to assist stranded passengers and manage rescheduled departures.

Outlook: Situation Easing Gradually

By late Friday night, about 70% of affected flights had departed, and airport authorities expressed confidence that normal operations would resume by Saturday afternoon.

DIAL said runway calibration checks and ATC sequencing protocols were completed overnight to prevent further disruption.