Heavy rain disrupts Delhi flights, at least 15 diverted amid thunderstorms

Heavy rain and thunderstorms disrupted flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Monday, with at least 15 flights diverted to other airports, officials and aviation sources said.

Twelve flights were diverted to Jaipur, while two were sent to Chandigarh and one to Lucknow, according to an airport official. The diversions affected both domestic and international services. Reports differed slightly earlier in the day as weather conditions continued to affect operations.

The disruptions came as heavy showers swept parts of Delhi-NCR, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds. The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for heavy rainfall in parts of Delhi and warned of thunderstorms and winds of 30-40 kph in several areas.

Flight delays also increased as the weather affected arrivals and departures. Data from flight-tracking service Flightradar24 showed more than 280 flights delayed and more than 20 cancellations at the airport, according to PTI-based reports.

Several airlines issued advisories to passengers. Air India said adverse weather could affect flights to and from Delhi and asked passengers to check their flight status before travelling to the airport.

IndiGo also said weather conditions had affected its flight schedules and that it was monitoring the situation. SpiceJet similarly warned passengers that arrivals, departures and onward connections could be affected. Akasa Air also issued a travel advisory as the weather deteriorated across the region.

The weather also caused widespread disruption on the ground, with waterlogging and traffic congestion reported across several parts of Delhi-NCR. The combination of difficult road conditions and flight disruptions added to travel problems for passengers trying to reach the airport.

Rainfall was particularly heavy in parts of south and central Delhi. Between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., Chhatarpur recorded 28 mm of rain, followed by Lodi Road with 24.6 mm and Pitampura with 18.5 mm, according to IMD data cited in reports.

Delhi airport handles more than 1,300 flight movements a day, making weather-related disruptions capable of creating delays across multiple connected routes.

Passengers travelling through Delhi were advised to check their airline's latest flight information before leaving for the airport and to allow additional time for road travel because of traffic and waterlogging.

Flight operations were expected to remain subject to weather conditions as the day progressed.