CHENNAI: Flight operations at Chennai Airport are expected to be disrupted on Wednesday morning due to heavy smoke from Bhogi festival celebrations combined with early-morning fog.
Anticipating cancellations, nine flights have already been cancelled, while two other flights have been rescheduled.
Officials said all the cancelled and rescheduled services belong to IndiGo airlines. Other airlines are also expected to review and possibly revise their flight schedules during the early morning and forenoon hours.
Despite repeated warnings and appeals, residents from the areas surrounding the airport like Meenambakkam, Guindy, Pozhichalur, Pammal, Anakaputhur, Thoraipakkam, Manapakkam and Nandambakkam, burn waste, include plastics and tyres, in the early hours during the Bhogi festival.
This results in dense smoke engulfing the airport runway area. When combined with seasonal fog, visibility can drop sharply, making operations unsafe.
In 2018, as many as 118 flights were affected due to smoke and fog, while in 2024, at least 51 flights, including 27 arrivals and 24 departures, faced delays or cancellations under similar conditions.
Anticipating a repeat this year, the Airports Authority of India has already adjusted the schedules of around 30 arrival and departure flights between 4 am and 8 am, and passengers were informed in advance about changes in timings.
Despite these measures, airlines have now announced cancellations and delays for Wednesday.
The cancelled departures from Chennai include flights to Mumbai at 11.40 pm on Tuesday and 7.15 am; Pune at 3.05 am, Coimbatore at 6.35 am and Delhi at 8 am.
Among the arrivals, flights from Delhi at 5.20 am, Mumbai at 6.35 am, Pune at 7.10 am, and Coimbatore at 9.10 am have been cancelled.
The Chennai-Vijayawada flight scheduled for 5.40 am will depart only at 8.40 am, while the Chennai-Thoothukudi flight has been rescheduled from 6 am to 9.05 am.
Airport sources said that more flights could be delayed or cancelled depending on visibility conditions, and passengers have been advised to check with their respective airlines before heading to the airport.