Foggy conditions in Delhi and parts of northwestern India has led to the cancellation and delay of hundreds of flights over the past few days sparking outrage among passengers.
Reduced visibility acts as a major hindrance to flight operations as a result, airline services have had to undergo rescheduling to ensure safety and security of passengers and crew members. As many as 100 flight operations and 150 flight operations were delayed on Sunday and Monday, respectively.
According to ANI, as of Tuesday (January 16) 30 flights from Delhi Airport have been delayed and a further 17 flights have been cancelled. This has led to massive disappointment among passengers, many of whom have taken to their respective social media handles to express their concerns. In a viral footage, passengers can be seen having dinner on the tarmac, right next to their aircraft at the Mumbai airport, following a 12 hour delay.
Aviation Minister Issues New SOPs In View Of Several Flight Delays
Aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia took to X (formerly twitter) on Tuesday and issued six new standard operating procedures to facilitate passenger convenience.
Scindia has urged airlines to abide by the newly issued guidelines which include measures like informing passengers about potential delays well in advance, keeping their websites updated with all necessary information in relation flight schedules. The SOP has also urged airline and airport staff to provide the required assistance to all passengers who are putting up with numerous challenges posed by the flight delays. He further pleaded to passengers to remain cooperative and considerate in these trying times as stakeholders try their best to restore normalcy.
Scindia also condemned the recent incident at the Delhi Airport in which a passenger, Sahil Kataria, aboard a Delhi-Goa IndiGo flight, physically assaulted co-pilot Anup Kumar due to a 13 hour delay. The video has been doing rounds on social media, with many expressing their disapproval over the insensitive gesture. Kataria has since been arrested and will most likely be put on a no-fly list by IndiGo Airlines.
Celebrities Chronicle Their Experiences
Actor Ranvir Shorey, known for films like Sonchiriya (2019) and Chandni Chowk to China(2009), on Monday, January 15, gave an account of the harassment that he was subjected to by IndiGo Airlines in a lengthy X post. The actor went on to state that he will file a complaint against the airlines.
Radhika Apte, known for her work in films like Parched (2015) and Badlapur (2015), also took to Instagram recounting the hassle faced after being locked in an aerobridge for over 3 hours without any provision for water and other essential services.
Needless to say, the recent fuss over flight delays owing to severe weather conditions has left thousands across the country stranded in terrible conditions.
