CHENNAI: Chennai International Airport has been temporarily closed due to severe weather conditions due to ongoing heavy rains and the approaching Cyclone Fengal, which have made it unsafe for planes to land.
Officials confirmed that the runway will remain closed until 5 PM today, according to Thanthi TV report.
Only flights deemed capable of safe landing will be allowed to land during this period. Other flights have been diverted to other cities as a precautionary measure to ensure passenger safety.
Meanwhile, more than 10 other planes, including those from Singapore, Dubai, Delhi, Kozhikode, and Hyderabad, have been forced to circle the airport due to poor weather conditions. Chennai airport officials are taking action to reroute these flights to airports in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Tiruchy.
More than 30 outbound flights from Chennai have been delayed, causing significant inconvenience to passengers. Many travellers have expressed frustration about the lack of timely communication about flight delays. The airport’s website directs passengers to contact the airlines, but with customer service lines either busy or unresponsive,. This has left passengers and their families are left stranded, seeking information at the airport.
Earlier, Indigo Airlines decided to cancel all ATR flights scheduled to depart after 2 pm on Saturday to destinations like Madurai, Tiruchy, and Salem, according to airport officials.