Dense fog at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru led to significant disruptions in flight operations on Sunday morning. As visibility plummeted to between 50 and 100 meters, a total of 15 flights faced delays, and six incoming flights had to be diverted.
According to officials from Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the low visibility conditions affected flight schedules from around 5:08 am until 7:25 am. The dense fog forced six flights to reroute to nearby airports, with four flights landing in Chennai and two in Hyderabad. Among these diversions were Akasa Air and Air India flights from Mumbai, a SpiceJet flight from New Delhi, and an Air India flight from Abu Dhabi, all redirected to Chennai. Additionally, an IndiGo flight from Hyderabad and a cargo flight from Delhi were diverted to Hyderabad.
Visibility issues at KIA have been a recurring challenge, especially during the fog-prone winter season. While the airport’s south runway was upgraded in December 2020 to support CAT-IIIB operations, which assist aircraft in landing under low-visibility conditions, the north runway still operates under CAT I standards. Work to upgrade the north runway is ongoing.
Disclaimer: The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as advice.
