Sudden rain, strong wind hit flight operations at Chennai airport

CHENNAI: Following sudden rain and strong winds, flight operations were affected at Chennai Airport on Thursday evening (June 18), affecting more than 20 domestic and international services.

Dark clouds gathered over several parts of Chennai and its suburbs around 4 pm, followed by gusty winds, lightning and moderate rainfall. The weather conditions affected aircraft movements, particularly arriving flights attempting to land at the airport.

More than 10 departure flights were also affected, including services to Hyderabad, Bangalore, Visakhapatnam, Pune, Mumbai, Delhi, Ranchi and Mysuru. Airport officials said the temporary disruption was caused by seasonal thunderstorm activity and strong winds affecting flight movements and runway operations.

With multiple flights delayed and several aircraft forced to hold in the air, passengers experienced long waiting times both inside the aircraft and at terminal facilities. Authorities advised travellers to remain patient and check flight status updates before proceeding to the airport.