Argus News - Dense Fog Hits Bhubaneswar, Disrupts Flight Operations

Bhubaneswar, Feb 17: Flight operations at Bhubaneswar’s Biju Patnaik International Airport were disrupted on Tuesday morning as foggy conditions reduced runway visibility.

According to reports, Air India flight AI 1814, scheduled to depart for New Delhi at 9:45 AM, took off 15 minutes late. Similarly, IndiGo’s 6E7265 flight to Prayagraj, originally planned for 8:55 AM, has been rescheduled to 10:55 AM, causing a two-hour delay while IndiGo flight 6E718 to Hyderabad, which was set to leave at 9:05 AM, departed 20 minutes behind schedule.

Arrivals were also affected. The CE 6199 flight from Mumbai and Air India’s A147 from Delhi both landed 15 minutes later than expected.

Airport authorities attributed the delays to poor visibility caused by morning fog, a common seasonal challenge in eastern India. Passengers were advised to check updated schedules before heading to the airport.

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Despite the inconvenience, officials assured that safety remains the top priority, and operations are expected to normalize as weather conditions improve.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the fog formation to a combination of high humidity, light to calm winds, and low night-time temperatures. These conditions reduced visibility significantly, impacting flight operations.