Sat Jan 04 15:14:16 UTC 2025: ## Delhi Fog Causes Major Flight Delays

**New Delhi, India** – Dense fog enveloped Delhi for a second consecutive day, causing significant disruptions at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). Over 100 flights were delayed Saturday morning, with an average departure delay of 37 minutes as of 8 am, according to FlightRadar24. Six flights bound for Delhi were diverted. Friday saw over 400 flight delays due to the same weather conditions.

The airport advisory stated that flights lacking CAT III Instrument Landing System (ILS) compliance were most affected. CAT III systems aid landings in low visibility, providing pilots with crucial information about runway alignment and glide path using horizontal and vertical radio beams. Different CAT III levels (A, B, and C) allow landings in progressively worse visibility conditions, down to zero visibility in the case of CAT III C.

IGIA is certified for CAT III B operations, meaning it can handle landings with Runway Visual Range (RVR) as low as 50 meters. However, the aircraft itself must also be CAT III B equipped, and pilots require the relevant training. While six Indian airports (Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Amritsar, Bengaluru, and Kolkata) have CAT III B certified runways, no Indian airport currently has the CAT III C system, which is used at major international airports like New York’s JFK and London’s Heathrow. The CAT III A system at Delhi’s runway 28 was installed in 2001 and upgraded to CAT III B in 2005 at a cost of Rs 55 crore.

The fog is expected to continue impacting air travel until weather conditions improve. Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest updates on flight schedules.

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