New Delhi: Pollution caused a major disruption at Delhi airport Sunday as 37 flights were diverted to other airports due to heavy smog, officials said.
Due to low visibility at Delhi Airport, thirty-seven flights were diverted between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. to places like Jaipur, Amritsar Lucknow and Mumbai, they said.
As of now, the visibility has improved, the airport officials said.
While Air India said it diverted 12 flights since 9 a.m., Vistara said it diverted five flights after 10 a.m. due to smog at the airport.
An Air India spokesperson said, “Bad weather affected flight operations since morning 9 am in T3 airport (Delhi). Twelve flights diverted to Jaipur, Amritsar and Lucknow.”
When asked if it can be said that “bad weather” is actually the pollution, he replied in affirmative.
“Five flights each were diverted to Jaipur airport and Amritsar airport, two flights were diverted to Lucknow airport,” the spokesperson added.
A Vistara spokesperson told PTI that while four flights – which were coming from Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Goa – were diverted to Amritsar airport, one that was coming from Kochi was diverted to Mumbai airport.
“The diversion began post 10 am today due to smog,” he added.
Five Air India flights that were coming to Delhi from Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad and London were diverted to Jaipur airport on Sunday.
Moreover, five flights of the national carrier that connect Singapore, Surat, Bahrain, Bhopal and Nagpur with Delhi airport were diverted to Amritsar airport on Sunday, the Air India spokesperson said.
Two flights of Air India that were coming from Pune and Mumbai were diverted to Lucknow airport, he added.
PTI