Kolkata Airport Fog Disrupts Dozens of Flights

Dense fog disrupted flight operations at Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, delaying 60 flights and diverting 12 others. Operations faced interruptions between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., inconveniencing passengers despite the use of advanced landing systems and Low Visibility Procedures implemented by Air Traffic Control.

Flight operations at Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport faced significant disruptions on Thursday morning due to dense fog, according to airport officials. The adverse weather conditions affected at least 72 flights, causing delays in 60 departures and landings while forcing 12 flights to divert to other airports.

'Of the incoming flights affected, seven were redirected to Bhubaneswar, three to Ranchi, and one each to Chennai and Shamshabad,' said Kolkata Airport director Pravat Ranjan Beuria. The disruption occurred despite the airport being equipped with the CAT III-B instrument landing system, which can handle low-visibility conditions.

Operations were suspended between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., with visibility improving after 9 a.m. Passengers experienced considerable inconvenience as the delay in early morning flights led to a cascading effect on subsequent schedules, officials reported.

(With inputs from agencies.)