World
India
Flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport were severely affected on Sunday, with more than 68% of all incoming and outgoing flights delayed. Passengers were left stranded or stuck for hours as one of the airport’s four runways remained closed for planned upgrade work. The runway shutdown came at the same time as a seasonal shift in wind direction, creating a complicated situation that slashed the airport’s capacity.
According to flight-tracking service Flightradar24, as of 11:30 p.m., a total of 501 departing flights and 384 arriving flights were delayed. On an average day, the airport handles around 1,300 flights, which means over two-thirds were affected on Sunday alone. Departure delays averaged around one hour, while arrivals were delayed by approximately 75 minutes.
Airport Authorities Say Airlines Ignored Warnings Given Months in Advance
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the company managing the airport, strongly defended its position and said the airlines had been informed well in advance about the planned runway closure and possible operational disruptions. In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), DIAL said the closure of Runway 10/28, which began on April 8, was planned in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including airlines and air traffic control (ATC).
“The closure of Runway 10/28 since 8th April for essential Instrument Landing System (ILS) upgradation, was planned well in advance in consultation with all relevant stakeholders and based on historical wind patterns over 4 months ago…it was agreed amongst all stakeholders, including Airlines and ATC [air traffic control] that will be temporary capacity constraints for arrivals…,” DIAL stated.
“During such moments the Airlines are to reschedule or cancel flights at short notice in interest of passenger safety and convenience… However, there were minimal to no changes made. Unfortunately this limited action/non action has led to significant operational challenges for all the stakeholders including Delhi airport and ATC and in the end impacted the passengers significantly,” the statement added.
Baggage Lost, Honeymoon Plans Disrupted
For some travellers, the chaos extended beyond delayed flights. A couple headed to Goa for their honeymoon were left without their luggage.
Passenger @roshan_rx posted on X, “My wife and I were traveling to Goa for our honeymoon on Flight 6E 2265 (from Delhi to Goa) on 20th April 2025… and checked in luggage at Delhi Airport, arriving Goa, we were informed that baggage not arrived.”
“Despite repeated inquiries at the Goa airport, we were told that the luggage was not sent on the flight from Delhi. This caused us extreme inconvenience, as we had no change of clothes or essential items with us,” he added.
Wind Shifts and Poor Coordination Added to the Trouble
The chaos was intensified by an untimely shift in wind direction, which aviation officials said had been anticipated based on seasonal weather patterns. Easterly winds, which are common during this time of year due to pre-monsoon conditions, force a change in the runway use pattern and reduce the number of flights that can land per hour.
A senior official explained that under easterly wind conditions, when Runway 11R is used for arrivals and Runways 09 and 11L are used for departures, the flight paths tend to cross. This setup forces a minimum gap of 100 to 110 seconds between landing flights, reducing the arrival capacity to just 32 per hour—far below the airport’s usual 46 per hour.
According to aviation sources, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecast this wind pattern shift. Authorities had expected around 30% of flight operations to follow the easterly wind mode in March and April, increasing to 50% by May and June.
Upgrade Work Temporarily Suspended as Passengers Face Chaos
Due to the ongoing crisis, DIAL announced it would temporarily pause the upgrade work on Runway 10/28. “Runway 10/28 will be brought back into operation in the first week of May, with the remaining upgrade activities deferred for a month or so,” the operator said.
The runway upgrade, meant to install CAT III B level Instrument Landing System (ILS) equipment to improve visibility during foggy winter months, was originally scheduled to be completed before this year’s winter. However, the decision to carry out this work during the summer—Delhi’s busiest travel season—has come under criticism.
The situation got further complicated with the recent closure of Terminal 2 on April 15. All its passengers and flights were shifted to the expanded Terminal 1 on the same day, adding more pressure to the airport’s operations.
High-Profile Passenger Frustration Goes Viral
The delays led to a flood of complaints from frustrated travelers. One of the most vocal was Omar Abdullah, the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, who took to X to express his anger after his flight was diverted.
“Delhi airport is a bloody shit show (excuse my French but I’m in no mood to be polite). 3 hours in the air after we left Jammu we get diverted to Jaipur & so here I am at 1 in the morning on the steps of the plane getting some fresh air. I’ve no idea what time we will leave from here,” he posted.
A History of Planning – But Not Enough Action
Back in December 2024, meetings were held between DIAL, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and airline officials to plan for weather-related disruptions. Formal approvals for the runway upgrade were received in February after consultations began in December.
A major meeting took place on March 4, where DIAL’s contingency plans were discussed in detail. According to the minutes from that meeting, stakeholders were clearly informed about the upcoming easterly wind conditions and advised to plan flight schedules accordingly.
Despite these discussions, very few airlines actually adjusted their schedules. “The airport operator shares its plans with stakeholders as per standard procedures. It’s the airlines who should have trimmed their operations to avoid disruption,” said Mohan Ranganathan, an aviation safety expert.
Experts Weigh In: Airlines Could Have Done More
Some former officials from the AAI suggested that the upgrade could have been done in phases. However, aviation experts countered that the nature of the work—like milling the runway surface and installing lighting—required it to be done in one go. They also said the March to June window was ideal, as it avoids both winter fog and monsoon rains.
Airlines were advised to monitor operational patterns every two weeks and make adjustments accordingly to reduce last-minute cancellations and diversions. Still, many airlines chose not to change their schedules.
“A four-month closure of a major runway is a long time for a hub like Delhi. DGCA, as the regulator, should have revisited the summer schedule and possibly issued a revised one,” Ranganathan added.
A former airline official said the hesitation likely stemmed from financial concerns. “Advance planning should have included the cancellation of some flights by the airlines, but no airline wants its revenue to be severely impacted,” the official said. “However, such massive delays might also be causing them significant losses.”
There may be some relief coming soon. A senior IMD official said the current easterly wind pattern is expected to shift back to westerly winds in a couple of days. “Every time a western disturbance hits the western Himalayas, wind direction temporarily shifts to easterly. This is normal. As for how operations are affected, that’s for the airport authorities to determine,” the official explained.
