The Delhi airport issued a passenger alert on Friday as dense fog enveloped the capital in the early hours of the morning. The haze significantly reduced visibility and affected flight operations. Due to the prevailing atmospheric conditions and extremely low visibility, the authorities warned of delays under CAT III conditions.
The alert said: “Dense fog has resulted in CAT IIl operations at the airport resulting in possible delays and disruptions.”
It urges passengers to check with their airlines for the latest flight status, adding: “Our ground teams are working closely with all stakeholders to assist passengers and provide the necessary support at all terminals. Please contact your respective airlines for up-to-date flight information. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding.”
Another advisory issued at 4:00 a.m. said: “Due to heavy fog, flight operations are currently in CAT IlI conditions resulting in flight disruptions. Please be assured that our ground officials are working closely with all parties involved to assist passengers and provide necessary support across the terminals. Please contact your respective airlines for current flight status. We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused.”
What are CAT III operations?
CAT III (Category III) operations are advanced Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedures for landing aircraft in extremely low visibility due to fog or smog. Notably, there are a total of six airports in India where the runway is certified for CAT III operations, including Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Amritsar, Bengaluru and Kolkata.
