New Delhi, Apr 12 — A powerful dust storm swept through Delhi and NCR on Friday evening, throwing Indira Gandhi International Airport into chaos. The storm triggered at least 205 flight delays, with over 50 diversions, leaving passengers stranded for hours overnight.
The disruption comes just a day after another storm hit the region. This time, flight operations were heavily impacted, with departure delays averaging one hour, sources said. Airlines including Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet issued advisories warning of further delays.
One passenger says “We were on a connecting flight from Srinagar to Mumbai via Delhi, which was diverted to Chandigarh and returned to Delhi around 11 PM. We’ve been waiting since it’s now 8 AM, and we’re still stuck”.
In the same flight, a 75-year-old woman in a wheelchair said she had been stranded at the airport for over 12 hours.
Online, frustrated passengers lashed out at airlines and airport management. “Most mismanaged, misinformed world-class airport… worse than a bus stand,” one user posted on X, along with photos of crowded terminals.
Another said, “IndiGo flight from Kolkata to Delhi got rescheduled six times… Are you taking passengers for granted?” Complaints also emerged about lack of refreshments despite flight delays exceeding two hours.
Air India confirmed delays and diversions due to the weather. In a public statement it said, “Our airport team is working to resolve the situation. We request your patience.”
IndiGo cited ongoing airside congestion and asked fliers to stay updated through flight trackers. “Our ground team remains committed to making your wait as comfortable as possible,” the airline added.
The Delhi airport authority advised passengers to check directly with their airlines, admitting that several flights were affected by weather. Meanwhile the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an ‘orange alert’ for Saturday warning of more thunderstorms and lightning.
The dust storm also disrupted power supply in several areas across Narela, Bawana, Badli, and Mangolpuri, as falling tree branches damaged electrical lines. With air travel disrupted and storm warnings still active, passengers are bracing for another day of uncertainty at Delhi airport.