“Stranded for 12 Hours”: Delhi Airport Chaos as Dust Storm Grounds Flights, Diverts Over a Dozen

Severe dust storm disrupts flight operations at Delhi airport; hundreds of passengers face long delays, diversions, and frustrating wait times as IMD issues ‘orange alert’ for thunderstorm and lightning.

New Delhi, April 12 – A powerful dust storm that swept across Delhi and NCR on Friday evening wreaked havoc on air travel, with dozens of flights delayed and at least 15 diverted due to low visibility and gusty winds. The disruption left hundreds of passengers stranded at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, with many expressing outrage over the lack of communication and assistance.

Also Read: Dust Storm and Lightning Strike Delhi After Days of Scorching Heat and ABove Normal Temperatures in Apr

A day after moderate rain and another storm hit parts of the capital, Friday’s weather event triggered significant chaos — both in the skies and on the ground.

“We’ve been stranded for over 12 hours now. Our connecting flight from Srinagar was first diverted to Chandigarh, and after finally reaching Delhi at 11 PM, we were asked to board another flight to Mumbai at midnight — only to be deboarded at 4 AM and made to undergo security again,” said one frustrated Air India passenger speaking to NDTV.

A 75-year-old wheelchair-bound woman on the same flight shared a similar ordeal, stating that she had been stuck at the airport since 11 PM.

Also Read: Singapore, Doha & Tokyo Named World’s Top 3 Airports, India Nowhere in Top Rankin

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Airlines, Passengers Vent on X

While airlines like Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet issued travel advisories on X (formerly Twitter), many fliers took to the platform to criticize what they described as “mismanagement” at the Delhi airport.

“Indigo flight from Kolkata to Delhi got rescheduled 6 times. Are passengers being taken for granted?” asked one user.

“A flight from Delhi hasn’t departed. They’ve made passengers sit for two hours inside the plane without refreshments. Isn’t that against aviation rules?” wrote another.

One passenger posted a viral picture of stranded fliers, calling Delhi Airport “worse than a bus stand.”

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Airport & IMD Updates

The Delhi Airport authority acknowledged the delays in an official statement Saturday morning, citing airside congestion despite improved weather conditions:

“We encourage passengers to regularly check flight statuses. Our ground staff is doing their best to assist,” the statement read.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an ‘orange’ alert for Delhi on Saturday, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and winds gusting up to 40 kmph.

Fallen trees, broken branches, and traffic snarls were reported across several parts of the capital due to the storm.

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Tags:

Delhi Airport, Flight Delays, Dust Storm Delhi, Delhi Weather Alert, Air India Delay, IndiGo Reschedule, Delhi Thunderstorm, IMD Orange Alert, Delhi NCR, Flight Diversions India, Passenger Complaints, Delhi Airport Chaos