DUBAI: A powerful dust storm accompanied by gusty winds and isolated rain affected flight operations across North India on Friday, grounding or diverting several domestic and international flights, including those headed to and from the UAE.
The severe weather system led to chaos at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded with little to no communication from airline authorities.
The disruption began around late afternoon, with visibility deteriorating rapidly due to a sudden dust storm sweeping through the Indian capital. According to media reports, at least 15 flights were diverted, while dozens more were delayed, severely impacting schedules across the board.
Flight disruptions
Among the most impacted were flights operating between Delhi and the UAE. Etihad Airways flight EY216, which departed from Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi at 2.42pm UAE time, was forced to divert to Jaipur. The airline confirmed the diversion, citing "adverse weather conditions in Delhi," and added that the return flight EY217 to Abu Dhabi would also be delayed.
“Etihad Airways flight EY216 from Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport to Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport on 11 April has diverted to Jaipur Airport due to adverse weather conditions in Delhi,” read a statement from the carrier.
Dubai-based Emirates and Sharjah’s Air Arabia also saw changes in their schedules. Emirates' EK515, bound for Dubai from Delhi, was scheduled to depart at 10pm UAE time, while EK512 from Dubai to Delhi had a departure time of 9.40pm UAE time. Air Arabia’s G9466, originally scheduled to leave Delhi at 6.35pm, eventually took off at 8.20pm. Its inbound flight, G9465, landed in Delhi nearly two hours behind schedule.
Meanwhile, Indian carriers scrambled to cope with cascading delays. Air India and IndiGo issued travel advisories, warning passengers of continuing disruptions and urging them to verify their flight status before heading to the airport.
“Poor weather caused by thunderstorms and gusty winds has affected operations across Northern India,” stated Air India. “We are closely monitoring the situation and are doing our best to minimise disruption.”
IndiGo confirmed that although the storm had passed, its effects were still being felt, especially at Delhi and Jaipur airports. “Delays and schedule changes may continue as airports work to stabilise operations,” the airline said. The carrier encouraged customers to use flexible rebooking options and remain updated via official platforms.
Terminal turmoil
Back at Delhi Airport’s Terminal 3, the situation turned chaotic. Passengers expressed outrage over the lack of clear communication from airlines, particularly Air India. Social media was flooded with complaints about poor coordination, inadequate staffing, and unresponsive help desks.
The weather disturbance wasn’t limited to flight delays. Power outages were reported across several parts of North Delhi, further complicating the day’s disruptions. According to Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (Tata Power-DDL), strong winds uprooted trees and hurled debris onto electrical lines, leading to localised blackouts.
Both High Tension (HT) and Low Tension (LT) power systems faced interruptions, affecting residential as well as commercial zones. The company urged citizens to remain alert during extreme weather and report outages via their 24x7 toll-free number.
Delhi Airport itself issued a weather advisory at 7.15pm IST (5.45pm UAE time), acknowledging the impact of the storm. “Due to inclement weather conditions in Delhi, some flights are impacted. Passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest flight updates,” the post read.
Though normalcy began to return by late evening, the backlog caused by the storm ensured that delays persisted well into the night. Multiple trees were reported uprooted in different parts of the capital, further affecting road traffic and infrastructure. Emergency response teams, both civic and private, were seen working late into the evening to clear roads and restore essential services.