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If you were flying out of Delhi’s IGI Airport on Saturday, chances are your flight didn’t leave on time—and you probably weren’t alone in feeling frustrated. Long delays, sudden gate changes, and hardly any help from airport staff left travelers stressed and angry, all because of a runway closure that’s been throwing flight schedules off for days.
The trouble started earlier this week when Runway 28/10 was shut down for maintenance. Since then, the airport has been working at a slower pace, and it’s starting to show.
One runway down, fewer flights going up
According to airport officials, the closure has seriously cut down the number of flights the airport can handle every hour. “The airport handles around 46 arrivals every hour. Since runway 28/10 [closed], as of now, a maximum of 36 arrivals are being handled,” a senior official told Hindustan Times.
@airindia holy mess at T3, Delhi. Waiting to board AI 2943, no announcements, no help! Absolute chaos! Please see for necessary actions so people don’t miss flights! pic.twitter.com/8k58mVODfL
Advertisement · Scroll to continue— viswajanani (@viswajananis) April 12, 2025
Even though the runway closure was announced back in February, it looks like airlines and ground staff weren’t fully prepared for just how bad the slowdown would get. IGI is India’s busiest airport, and taking even one runway out of the mix has created a huge ripple effect.
Airlines struggled to get a grip on the situation. “After the dust storm, many flights were diverted and cancelled, and this caused inconvenience to passengers waiting for their flights at Delhi airport. The diverted flight took time to reach Delhi, and this led to rush at the airport,” one airport official told ANI.
Both Air India and IndiGo issued public advisories, but for many passengers, it was too little too late.
Long waits, little info, and a lot of confusion
Passengers weren’t happy. Many were stuck waiting inside planes, not knowing when they’d finally take off. Others had their departure gates switched last minute, and some said there was no one around to help or explain what was going on.
One senior official from the Ministry of Defence, who was caught in the mess, told Times Now, “Flights are delayed. No guidance by ground staff.”
People on tight travel schedules or with connecting flights had it especially tough—missed connections, cancelled plans, and zero updates from the airport made things even more stressful.
Passengers stuck in terminals and on grounded planes took to social media to vent. One passenger shared their long ordeal with NDTV: “We had a connecting flight from Srinagar to Delhi to Mumbai at 4 pm. Our flight was scheduled to land in Delhi around 6 pm but was diverted to Chandigarh due to a dust storm. It was then flown back to Delhi at 11 pm.”
Their troubles didn’t end there. “We were then asked to board another flight in Delhi for Mumbai at 12 am. We sat in the aircraft for about 4 hours and were then made to deboard again and go through the security check again. It’s 8 am, and we are still waiting at the airport. Our flight has not yet taken off,” they added.
An elderly woman in a wheelchair, who was on the same flight, also shared her frustration: “We are stranded for over 12 hours. We could not land in Delhi due to the storm. But we have been waiting at the Delhi airport since 11 pm.”
Passengers Vent Online
As frustration grew, many people turned to social media to express their anger. One person posted a photo of the packed waiting area, writing: “Most mismanaged, misinformed world class international airport, New Delhi…Worse than bus stand.”
@airindia @MoCA_GoI @JM_Scindia Most mismanaged, misinformed world class international airport, New Delhi.#INDIRAGandhi.. worse than Bus Stand . pic.twitter.com/uDQilWIfxq
— Ärvind Lal (@lalarvi) April 12, 2025
Another wrote, “Indigo flight from Kolkata to Delhi got rescheduled 6 times from evening. @IndiGo6E are you taking the passengers for granted?? People are already 6hrs late for this.”
Some even called out the airlines for not offering proper service. “A flight from Delhi hasn’t yet departed. You have boarded them on time and made them sit for two hours. Disgusting. Also as per rule you are supposed to provide refreshments if flight is delayed for more than two hours.”
Yet another post read: “Stranded in Delhi Airport for more than 14 hours …#AirIndia you have zero accountability and commitment towards your passenger… You don’t deserve to be in this space.”
Airlines respond, but flyers still annoyed
Air India and IndiGo both tried to calm passengers down with public statements, but it hasn’t done much to ease the frustration.
Air India replied to a customer, saying:
“Hi, we empathize with your concern. Our team has tried their best to minimize the inconvenience caused. However, your feedback will be shared with our concerned team for further review. Seeking your understanding.”
IndiGo also posted a reminder on social media asking people to check their flight status before heading to the airport, and to come early just in case.
#6ETravelAdvisory: For the latest updates on your flight status, please visit: https://t.co/ll3K8PwtRV. If your flight is cancelled, you can explore alternate flight options or claim a refund here: https://t.co/51Q3oUe0lP pic.twitter.com/Y33ary3qxw
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) April 11, 2025
Still, many travellers felt left in the dark—literally and figuratively.
Air India acknowledged the issue, saying in a public message that some of its flights were delayed or diverted due to the thunderstorm. “The airport team is trying their best to ensure a speedy resolution. We request your patience and understanding,” they said.
IndiGo also put out a statement noting that the situation was still tough even after the storm passed. “While weather conditions in Delhi have improved, airside congestion continues to impact flight operations to/from Delhi. We encourage you to regularly check your flight status for the latest updates. Our ground team remains committed to assisting you and ensuring your wait is as comfortable as possible. We sincerely appreciate your continued patience and support as we work to get you to your destination smoothly.”
SpiceJet issued similar warnings about possible delays and cancellations due to weather.
The Delhi airport authority also put out an advisory. “Due to the inclement weather conditions in Delhi, some of the flights at Delhi airport are impacted. Passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest flight updates. We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused.”
What to expect next: More delays
The bad news? The runway repairs aren’t over yet, and delays are expected to continue for the next few weeks. The chaos at the airport was only one part of a larger problem. A strong dust storm and high winds hit large parts of Delhi and the NCR region late Friday, toppling tree branches and damaging power lines. Areas like Narela, Bawana, Badli, and Mangolpuri were hit especially hard, leading to power outages in several neighbourhoods.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued an ‘orange alert’ for the city, warning of thunderstorms and lightning throughout the day.
#WATCH | Delhi: Branches of trees fell after the National Capital experienced dust storm in several areas.
(Visuals from Mandi House) pic.twitter.com/WDIFs9tv8r
— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2025
“The average departure delay is of an hour,” sources said, as they described the chain reaction caused by the unexpected weather.
