Dense fog hampers flight operations in Kolkata: 60 delays, 5 diversions

Flight operations at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBIA) were severely impacted on Monday due to dense fog, with visibility dropping below 50 meters. Low Visibility Procedures (LVP) were implemented at 7:00 AM, suspending all flight movements between 7:10 AM and 9:00 AM. During this period, no flights could take off or land.

A total of 60 flights were delayed, including 30 arrivals and 30 departures. Five incoming flights were diverted to alternate airports due to unsafe landing conditions. Flights 6E 2788 (Delhi-Kolkata), 6E 504 (Delhi-Kolkata), and 6E 6494 (Hyderabad-Kolkata) were diverted to Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, and Raipur, respectively. Arrangements were made for affected passengers at the alternate locations.

Visibility conditions improved after 9:00 AM, allowing flight operations to gradually resume. The first flight to land was Emirates EK 570, arriving from Dubai at 9:04 AM. Passengers from delayed flights were provided with assistance at the terminal, including refreshments and seating arrangements, to manage the inconvenience.

The CAT-III Instrument Landing System (ILS) at Kolkata Airport allowed a limited number of flights to land during the low-visibility period. This advanced system enables safe landings in foggy conditions. However, airports in the region lacking CAT-III compliance, including Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and Chittagong’s Shah Amanat International Airport, faced severe disruptions, leading to additional diversions to Kolkata. Kolkata Airport, one of the busiest in Eastern India, continued to monitor weather conditions closely. By midday, flight operations had largely normalized as visibility further improved, minimizing further disruptions.

Dense fog hampers flight operations in Kolkata: 60 delays, 5 diversions

https://t.co/qKEdiuqsvd via @taazatv #WestBengal #Kolkata #KolkataAirport #DenseFog #FlightDelays #CATIII #ILS #LowVisibility pic.twitter.com/KSwJA0yCxc

— Taaza TV (@taazatv) January 6, 2025