Dense fog brings IndiGo flights to a halt across key Indian airports

New Delhi: Dense winter fog has once again disrupted air travel across several parts of India, forcing IndiGo to cancel and delay multiple flights on December 26.

Poor visibility at major airports in north and central India continues to affect flight operations, causing inconvenience to hundreds of passengers during the busy winter travel season.

According to IndiGo, several early mornings and late-night flights were cancelled due to low visibility and unfavourable weather conditions at key airports.

Two airports that have been hit particularly hard are Varanasi – Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport and Chandigarh International Airport

Both airports are highly prone to dense winter fog, especially during morning and late-night hours.

Flights Cancelled at Varanasi

The following IndiGo flights were cancelled due to poor visibility at Varanasi airport:

• 6E 714 – Bengaluru to Varanasi
• 6E 6044 – Varanasi to Chennai
• 6E 499 – Varanasi to Bengaluru
• 6E 401 – Chennai to Varanasi

Flights Cancelled at Chandigarh

Several flights operating to and from Chandigarh were also cancelled:

• 6E 146 – Chandigarh to Lucknow
• 6E 5261 – Chandigarh to Mumbai
• 6E 867 – Chandigarh to Hyderabad
• 6E 242 – Pune to Chandigarh
• 6E 627 – Chandigarh to Kolkata

These cancellations affected passengers travelling between cities such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Lucknow and Varanasi.

India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has declared December 10, 2025 to February 10, 2026 as the official winter fog season. During this period, visibility levels drop significantly at many northern airports, making flight operations difficult.

Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu recently held meetings with airlines, airport operators, AAI, CISF and DGCA to review preparedness for winter operations. Even with low-visibility procedures and extra safety measures in place, thick fog continues to disrupt flights.

Earlier this month, IndiGo had cancelled hundreds of flights across the country due to similar weather conditions, highlighting the scale of winter-related disruptions.

Passengers planning to travel during the winter fog season are advised to check their flight status regularly, stay updated with airline advisories, keep buffer time between connecting flights and be prepared for last-minute delays or cancellations.

With dense fog expected to continue through February, airlines and airports remain on high alert. Travellers are urged to plan carefully and stay informed to avoid inconvenience.