Delhi airport: Over 500 flights delayed, 21 diverted; 5 cancelled due to dense fog

The Delhi airport, which operates about 1500 flights per day, on Monday said that over 500 flights were delayed and 21 others were diverted as the pilots were not compliant with CAT III-B landing.

"Over 500 flights were delayed, and 21 others were diverted as the pilots are not compliant CAT III-B. Five flights have been cancelled due to dense fog at the Delhi airport," said an airport official.

CAT III-B compliant pilots and aircraft help approach and land when the runway visibility is at a distance no less 15-meter and is at a visual range of less than 200 meters and most certainly not less than 50 meters.

The Delhi airport is ranked as the 16th busiest airport in the world. The GMR owned Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) is currently expanding Terminal 1 and 3 besides the construction of a new runway and taxiways.

With the temperature oscillating between 4 degree Celsius and 12 degree Celsius, Delhi is witnessing chilling cold conditions.

The minimum temperature in Safdarjung docked at 2.6 degrees Celsius at 8:45 am, while in Palam it was 2.9 degrees Celsius. The temperature in Lodhi Road was recorded at 2.2 degrees Celsius and in Aya Nagar at 2.5 degrees Celsius.