Chaos at Delhi Airport as Dust Storm Grounds Flights and Strands Passengers
Dust storm wreaks havoc at Delhi Airport, delaying over 50 flights and stranding passengers. Chaos erupts amid cancellations and poor communication.
Severe Dust Storm Causes Chaos at Delhi Airport: Over 50 Flights Delayed, Multiple Cancellations, Passengers Stranded Amid Poor Communication
By Friday evening, a severe dust storm engulfed Delhi and the National Capital Region, rendering it the worst disaster at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. With visibility low and conditions deteriorating rapidly, the airport went on shutdown for all air traffic operations. Hundreds of passengers were stranded overnight with many expressing anger at the delayed information and the lack of coordination by the airlines.
By Saturday morning, over 50 domestic flights were delayed, about 25 were diverted to other airports, and around seven were cancelled, setting up a backlog in the airport terminals. The sudden storm threw countless weekend travel plans into disarray.
“After the dust storm, many flights were diverted and cancelled, and this caused inconvenience to passengers waiting for their flights at Delhi airport…The diverted flight took time to reach Delhi, and this caused a rush at the airport,” an official said, adding that the entire situation was extremely chaotic.
Passengers went on social media, especially on X, to express their grievance. The main complaints were that information was not available in a timely fashion and that airline staff were unhelpful. One of the disgruntled passengers posted, “There is total chaos at Terminal 3…@airindia please at least provide an update on flights. Boards are not getting updated. There is no Air India staff to help or provide any update.”
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As flights poured in late into the night, the crowd swelled at the boarding gates, further aggravating the tense atmosphere. Social media images showed overcrowded terminals with long lines of weary travelers, some sitting on the floor as they awaited any updates.
Another irate passenger mentioned Air India’s handling of the debacle among the tag, and the post encompasses the Ministry of Civil Aviation, “Most mismanaged, misinformed world-class international airport, New Delhi. Worse than Bus Stand.” To this Air India replied, “Dear Mr. Lal, we hear you. However, kindly know that the flights are affected due to adverse effect of bad weather. Please be assured that our staff is trying to the best of their abilities to assist all passengers.”
While the storm alleviated the harsh summer heat gripping Delhi, it did not come without a tragic price: a certain 67-year-old man was killed when construction materials fell from a building due to strong winds in Chander Vihar. One more person was injured in the incident. In Gurugram, two others were hurt when a heavily loaded signage pillar fell on their car along Dwarka Expressway.
Delhi-NCR had witnessed violent weather, including lightning and strong winds, for two consecutive days. While welcomed by many for a temporary relief from summer’s fury, the erratic weather also served as an awful reminder of the dangers presented by unpredictable weather, and how critical it is to be better prepared at important transit hubs such as airports.
In the meantime, as the authorities are working on an assessment of the complete handicap, wider demands have emerged for an improvement of crisis communication and support for affected passengers during weather-related interruptions.
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