Dense Fog Disrupts Chennai Airport Operations as Air Quality Concerns Persist

Chennai Airport faced flight cancellations due to fog and adverse weather conditions in northern India, leading to significant disruptions. Eleven flights were cancelled, affecting travel plans. Meanwhile, Delhi's air quality slightly improved but remained poor, while Chennai recorded a satisfactory air quality index.

Flight operations at Chennai International Airport saw significant disruption on Wednesday morning following dense fog and adverse weather conditions in Delhi and other northern states, resulting in the cancellation of 11 flights, as confirmed by airport authorities. An official statement outlined that four departing flights and seven arriving flights were cancelled throughout the day. The cancellations were primarily attributed to the pervasive dense fog, unfavorable weather, and worsening air pollution impacting flight operations in Delhi and several northern regions lately.

'Flight services in Delhi and across other northern states have been severely hindered due to dense fog and adverse weather conditions, with several flights to Delhi unable to land and consequently diverted to alternate airports,' the statement elaborated. Consequently, flight services between Chennai and northern cities have remained disrupted. On Wednesday, four outbound flights from Chennai to destinations including Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata, and Ghaziabad were canceled.

Likewise, seven flights slated to arrive in Chennai from various cities, including Delhi, Jaipur, Patna, Pune, Kolkata, and Indore, have also been announced as canceled, causing significant inconvenience to passengers. Meanwhile, Delhi observed a slight improvement in air quality on Wednesday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 328 around 8 a.m., still placing it in the 'very poor' category, based on data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This marked an improvement from Tuesday's AQI of 354 at 4 p.m. However, large swathes of the city remain blanketed in toxic smog, and the overall air quality continues to be poor.

In contrast, Chennai reported an AQI of 95 at 9 a.m., according to official data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The CPCB categorizes AQI levels with 0-50 as 'good', 51-100 as 'satisfactory', 101-200 as 'moderate', 201-300 as 'poor', 301-400 as 'very poor', and 401-500 as 'severe.'

(With inputs from agencies.)