Air Quality Shows Slight Improvement After Severe Spell

Delhi’s air quality improved marginally on Tuesday, slipping from the ‘severe’ category to ‘very poor’, after three consecutive days of hazardous pollution levels. The improvement came as wind speed increased and fog intensity reduced across the national capital.

According to official data, the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 377 at 8 am, down from 427 on Monday evening. The AQI had peaked at 461 on Sunday, marking one of the worst December pollution days ever recorded in Delhi.

Dense Fog Continues to Impact Flight Operations

Despite improved visibility compared to Monday, flight services at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport continued to face disruptions.

• Over 300 flights delayed

• At least 126 flights cancelled, mostly in advance

• Disruptions caused by a spillover effect from Monday’s dense fog

On Monday, extremely low visibility forced authorities to halt take-offs for nearly five hours, leading to more than 800 delays, 220 cancellations, and five diversions.

Airlines Issue Advisories, Offer Refunds and Rescheduling

In a statement released late Monday night, Air India said dense fog and parking bay constraints led to widespread delays and cancellations, impacting its entire flight network.

The airline confirmed that some flights on Tuesday were cancelled in advance, with passengers offered full refunds or free rescheduling, based on weather forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

IndiGo also issued an early morning travel advisory, warning that fog conditions typical of north India winters could slow flight movement and advising passengers to stay updated on flight status.

Delhi Airport Still Recovering From Monday’s Chaos

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Delhi Airport authorities said flight operations were gradually returning to normal, but warned that intermittent delays may continue for some arrivals and departures.

Data from Flightradar24 showed:

• 86 arriving flights delayed, three cancelled

• 119 departing flights delayed, with no cancellations
  (A flight is officially delayed if it arrives or departs more than 15 minutes late.)

Visibility Improves, Winds Help Disperse Pollution

IMD data showed that visibility at IGI Airport improved to 600 metres by 8 am, compared to just 50 metres on Monday morning.

Weather experts confirmed that the change in wind direction to westerly and an increase in wind speed helped reduce fog density and supported the dispersion of pollutants.

Fog Affects Parts of Uttar Pradesh as Well

Dense fog was also reported in several areas of Uttar Pradesh, including:

• Bareilly, where visibility dropped to zero

• Lucknow, where visibility dipped to 50 metres during early morning hours

Further Improvement in Air Quality Expected

Meteorologists have forecast continued improvement in Delhi’s air quality during the day, with winds expected to reach speeds of up to 25 km/h.

Mahesh Palawat, Vice President at Skymet, said stronger winds and daytime heating should help reduce pollution levels further by improving air circulation across the region.