Fog Chaos and Flight Cancellations: A Rough Start to New Year Travel in Delhi

​The excitement of New Year’s Eve often brings visions of parties, celebrations, and new beginnings. For thousands of travelers in Delhi this year, however, the only thing they saw was a thick, blinding wall of white. Dense fog has once again gripped the National Capital Region, turning holiday dreams into a stressful waiting game at the airport. As the city prepared to ring in 2026, the weather had other plans, leading to a massive disruption that has left the Indira Gandhi International Airport in a state of near-paralysis.

​With 150 flights cancelled and over 250 others delayed, the scale of the disruption is staggering. This isn't just about a few missed connections; it is a full-scale travel crisis that has affected families, vacationers, and business travelers alike. The situation highlights the seasonal vulnerability of one of the world's busiest airports to the unpredictable winter weather of North India.

​The Science of the "Great White Wall"

​Every year, between late December and early January, Delhi experiences what locals call the "fog season." But this year, the conditions were particularly severe. A combination of high humidity, low temperatures, and calm winds created a perfect recipe for "very dense" fog. On the morning of New Year’s Eve, visibility at the airport dropped to near zero, making it impossible for pilots to navigate the runways safely without advanced technical assistance.

​While the airport is equipped with state-of-the-art landing systems like CAT III, these systems have their limits. CAT III allows planes to land in visibility as low as 50 meters, but it requires both the aircraft and the pilot to be specifically certified. When visibility drops below even those thresholds, or when the sheer volume of delayed flights creates a backlog, the system simply cannot keep up. The result is a cascading effect where one delay leads to ten more, eventually forcing airlines to pull the plug on entire schedules.

​The Human Toll of Travel Disruptions

​Behind the cold statistics of "150 cancelled" and "250 delayed" are real human stories. Walk through the terminals of IGI Airport today, and you will see families huddled on their luggage, children sleeping on airport chairs, and elderly passengers looking visibly exhausted. For many, this was supposed to be the first big holiday trip after a long year of work. Instead, they are spending their New Year’s Eve navigating a maze of customer service desks and confusing flight status apps.

​The frustration is palpable. Travelers often complain that while weather is beyond anyone's control, the communication from airlines can be hit or miss. Some passengers reported receiving cancellation notices only after they had already reached the airport, while others spent hours on hold with customer care lines that were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of calls. The psychological toll of "uncertainty" is perhaps the hardest part of fog-related delays.

​A Domino Effect on the Rail and Road Network

​The chaos isn't limited to the skies. As flight after flight got cancelled, many desperate travelers tried to switch to trains or hire long-distance taxis, only to find that the fog had followed them there too. Major railway stations like New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin saw dozens of trains running several hours behind schedule. In some cases, trains were delayed by as much as 10 to 12 hours, making them an unreliable alternative for those trying to reach their destinations before the midnight countdown.

​Road travel was equally treacherous. On the highways connecting Delhi to neighboring states like Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, drivers were forced to crawl at 20 kilometers per hour. Long traffic jams became common as visibility dropped to less than 5 meters in some open stretches. The entire transportation backbone of North India essentially slowed to a halt, reminding everyone of the raw power that nature holds over our modern, fast-paced lives.

​How Airlines and Authorities are Responding

​In the face of this crisis, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and airport authorities have been working overtime to manage the fallout. Airlines like IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet have issued "Fog Care" advisories, offering passengers the option to reschedule their flights for free or claim full refunds. The government has also instructed airlines to ensure that passengers are not left stranded without basic amenities like water and snacks during long waiting periods.

​Airlines are also trying to "pre-cancel" certain flights. This might sound counterintuitive, but it is actually a strategy to prevent even bigger crowds at the terminal. By cancelling a flight 12 hours in advance based on weather forecasts, airlines give passengers a chance to stay home rather than getting stuck at the gate. However, even with these measures, the sheer number of affected people makes it a logistical nightmare to manage.

​The Impact on the New Year Economy

​The timing of this fog couldn't be worse for the hospitality and travel industry. Many people book expensive stays at hill stations or beach resorts for New Year's, and a flight cancellation often means they miss the most important night of their trip. Hotels in popular destinations like Goa, Jaipur, and Manali have seen "no-shows" because travelers simply couldn't get out of Delhi.

​This leads to a significant financial loss not just for the airlines, but for the entire tourism ecosystem. When flights are grounded, it’s not just the ticket price at stake; it’s the pre-paid hotel rooms, the gala dinner bookings, and the local tours that go to waste. For a sector that is still finding its feet in the post-pandemic world, these weather-related disruptions are a tough pill to swallow.

​Safety Remains the Top Priority

​While the anger of a passenger who has missed their New Year party is understandable, aviation experts remind us that "safety is non-negotiable." Taking off or landing in zero visibility is one of the most dangerous maneuvers a pilot can attempt. The risk of a runway incursion—where two planes accidentally end up on the same strip of tarmac—increases exponentially in dense fog.

​The decision to cancel a flight is never taken lightly by an airline, as it costs them millions in revenue and operational logistics. If a flight is cancelled, it is almost always because the risk to human life is too high to ignore. In the world of aviation, "better late than never" is a literal rule for survival.

​Looking Forward: Can We Fix This?

​As we move into the first week of 2026, the weather forecast for Delhi remains unpredictable. Meteorologists suggest that while the fog might lift slightly during the day, the late-night and early-morning hours will continue to be high-risk zones. This raises the question: can we ever truly "fog-proof" our airports?

​While technology is improving, we are still largely at the mercy of the elements. Better pilot training and more aircraft with advanced CAT III avionics will help, but the ultimate solution might involve a more flexible travel culture. Encouraging travelers to avoid early morning flights during the peak fog window (typically December 20th to January 10th) could reduce the pressure on the system.

​Conclusion: Finding Patience in the Mist

​Starting a new year in an airport lounge or a railway waiting room is far from ideal. However, the current situation in Delhi serves as a reminder of the need for patience and preparedness. For those still planning to travel in the coming days, the best advice remains: check your flight status every two hours, keep your power banks charged, and perhaps most importantly, carry a sense of humor to deal with the unexpected.

​The fog will eventually lift, and the sun will shine on the new year. Until then, the priority is to get everyone to their loved ones safely, even if it’s a few hours—or days—later than planned.