A powerful dust storm accompanied by gusty winds and light showers battered Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Friday evening, bringing flight operations at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport to a grinding halt. What followed was widespread chaos as at least 205 flights were delayed, over 50 diverted, and 7 cancelled. Passengers were left stranded overnight, with many describing the experience as “hostage-like”, citing poor airline communication, lack of basic amenities, and overcrowding at terminals.
Flight Operations in Disarray: 205 Flights Delayed, 50 Diverted, 7 Cancelled
The sudden dust storm—accompanied by gusty winds and light rain—brought air traffic to a virtual halt. According to airport sources:
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At least 205 flights were delayed, with an average departure delay of one hour.
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Over 50 flights were diverted to other airports.
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At least 7 flights were cancelled between Friday evening and Saturday morning.
Both domestic and international schedules were heavily affected. The congestion worsened as diverted flights began landing at the same time, overwhelming terminals and boarding gates.
The Delhi Airport issued a statement early Saturday afternoon:
“Flight operations at Delhi Airport are improving; however, a few flights are still impacted due to last night’s weather conditions. Our on-ground teams and all stakeholders are working together to minimize any inconvenience to passengers.”
“After the dust storm, many flights were diverted and cancelled. This caused inconvenience to passengers waiting for their flights at Delhi airport. The diverted flights took time to reach Delhi, which led to a rush at the airport,” said a senior airport official.
Passengers were advised to check the flight status on the airport’s and respective airlines’ websites for updates.
Stampede-Like Scenes: Terminals Flooded as Hundreds Left Stranded
Eyewitness accounts and viral videos painted a grim picture at IGI Airport:
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Massive overcrowding at Terminal 3 and boarding areas.
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Passengers sleeping on floors with no information.
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Long queues at security checks and help desks.
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Several travellers compared the situation to a “stampede” or “bus stand”.
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No food or water provided for hours
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Lack of help for elderly, infants, and pregnant women
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Confusion over flight status updates
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Some airline staff reportedly mocking or ignoring passenger concerns
One passenger wrote:
“Extremely saddened to witness the state at Delhi airport... no help to aged people, zero help to passengers. What's happening?”
Dr. HY Desai, a passenger on Air India flight AI 2512, shared a scathing post:
“The flight kept delaying hour by hour. All passengers were held hostage the whole night. No food or water was provided, not even to infants, pregnant women, or the elderly. Only after agitation were basic needs met.”
“Don’t know how DGCA gives justice to the passengers of AI 2512, which has not yet taken off from Delhi airport at 6:53 am on 12-04-2025,” Dr. Desai said.
Another user shared a video calling the ordeal “worse than cattle treatment.”
Anger on Social Media: Airlines Face the Heat
Social media was flooded with posts tagging Air India, IndiGo, and the Civil Aviation Ministry, slamming their handling of the crisis.
Examples of viral complaints:
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“@airindia @MoCA_GoI @JM_Scindia Most mismanaged, misinformed world-class international airport, New Delhi. Worse than a bus stand.”
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“Passengers treated worse than cattle.”
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“What the hell is going on? We’re still waiting for the gate announcement.”
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“There is total chaos at Terminal 3. No Air India staff to help, no flight updates. @DelhiAirport please do something.”
A particularly offensive remark was attributed to Air India staff Krishna Kant Sharma, who allegedly referred to delayed passengers’ demands as “Bhandara”—a term used for free community feasts. The comment drew widespread outrage.
Passengers on other Air India flights like AI 2705, AI 2725, and AI 2651 also reported being left without any flight updates for hours.
One IndiGo passenger posted:
“The 6E 2198, Indigo flight from Kolkata to Delhi got rescheduled six times in the evening. People are already six hours late. Are you going to refund the amount now??”
Airline and Staff Response: Blame Weather, Not Us
Airlines including Air India and IndiGo issued advisories, citing adverse weather and air traffic congestion as reasons for the delays.
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IndiGo acknowledged that air traffic congestion caused takeoff and landing delays across its network. The airline requested passengers to check updates via its app or website.
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Air India posted:
“Some of our flights to and from Delhi are being delayed or diverted due to bad weather in northern India.”
However, this did little to pacify passengers.
A traveller alleged that an Air India staff member mockingly referred to passenger concerns as “Bhandara” (a community feast).
“This is no way to treat paying customers,” the user wrote.
Several passengers, especially those on flights AI 2512, AI 2705, AI 2725, and AI 2651, said no information was provided for hours.
“There is total chaos at Terminal 3. No staff to help, no flight updates,” another user complained.
The Delhi Airport authority issued a statement assuring that “all airlines and stakeholders are working hard to minimise inconvenience.”
CISF and Airport Authorities on Alert—But Too Late?
In response to the growing unrest, senior officials from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and airport management were deployed overnight to manage the situation and address grievances.
Yet, multiple passengers claimed:
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The response was slow, uncoordinated, and ineffective.
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CISF personnel were allegedly soft on airline staff and ignored passenger complaints.
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No accountability was shown despite rising distress among travellers.
Severe Weather Across Delhi-NCR: Uprooted Trees, Power Outages, Traffic Woes
The dust storm didn’t just paralyze the airport—it also disrupted daily life across the capital.
Key weather-related impacts:
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Wind speeds reached 74 kmph at IGI Airport, 70 kmph at Pragati Maidan, and 69 kmph at Lodhi Road.
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Temperature drops of 10°C at Palam and 7°C at Safdarjung were recorded.
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Rainfall measured at 0.7 mm between Friday 8:30 am and Saturday 8:30 am.
Reported incidents:
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Trees uprooted, leading to major traffic jams and blockages.
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NDMC received 8 complaints from Connaught Place, Jor Bagh, Patel Marg, and Sardar Patel Marg.
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MCD reported 4 tree-fall incidents from areas like Kalkaji and Shahdara.
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PWD received 10 complaints; the fire department responded to 2 emergencies.
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Power outages hit multiple areas, including:
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Narela, Bawana, Badli, Mangolpuri
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Disruptions were reported in both high-tension and low-tension networks.
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An electric pole collapsed near ITO, adding to traffic and power disruptions.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert, warning residents to avoid travel, stay indoors, and secure loose items.
What’s Next: Weather Alert Continues
Despite a clear morning on Saturday, IMD forecasted more thunderstorms with light to moderate rain later in the day. The orange alert for Delhi-NCR continues, urging caution and preparedness, advising residents to:
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Avoid unnecessary travel
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Stay indoors during storms
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Secure loose outdoor items
A Test Delhi Airport Failed
The natural fury of the dust storm may have been unavoidable—but the failure of systems, communication, and passenger care turned a weather event into a humanitarian crisis. From over 200 delayed flights to disturbing reports of passengers without food or water, the situation exposed deep flaws in the emergency preparedness of both airlines and airport authorities.
For hundreds of flyers, it wasn’t just a delay—it was a night of confusion, exhaustion, and helplessness inside India’s busiest airport.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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