'Becoming a troubling norm': Supriya Sule slams flight delays in Delhi

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Supriya Sule slammed persistent flight delays at Delhi Airport, saying that her Air India flight had been delayed for more than an hour late at night, leaving passengers stranded and "visibly distressed," further urging the intervention of Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, as she claimed that delays are "becoming a troubling norm."

Sule took to the social media platform X to express her frustration over the delay. Her flight, originally scheduled for 10:30 PM on May 2 (Friday), had been delayed for more than an hour till 11.45 PM.

In response, Air India explained that several flights had been affected by adverse weather conditions in the national capital, resulting in a cascading effect on flight schedules across its network.

"Dear Ms. Sule, adverse weather earlier in Delhi today delayed multiple flights that had a cascading effect on our schedule across the network. Your flight will depart shortly. We appreciate your patience and understanding," the airline posted in reply.

Delhi, on Friday, recorded 78mm of rainfall till 8:30 am, the second highest in 24 hours since 1901. The most rainfall was recorded at 119.3 mm on May 20, 2021, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The highest rainfall was recorded at Lodhi Road -78 mm, just ahead of Safdarjung Airport, which recorded 77mm.

According to IMD, moisture and wind convergence over the area from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, assisted by a persistent highly favourable synoptic pattern at both lower and middle tropospheric levels, resulted in heavy rainfall.

The highest rainfall recorded since 1901 was 119.3mm on May 20, 2021, at SFD Airport. According to IMD, it was associated with the movement of the remnant of the "Tauktae" Cyclone, which crossed the Gujarat coast.