15 Flights Diverted from Delhi's Indira Gandhi Airport as Thunderstorms Strike on August 24

At least 15 flights bound for Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, including two international services, were diverted to Jaipur, Chandigarh, and Lucknow on August 24 amid thunderstorms.

Original report
www.thetraveler.org

Industry impact

The disruption illustrates how monsoon-driven convective weather can strain runway capacity and trigger network-wide delays at major South Asian aviation hubs.

At least 15 flights heading to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi were diverted to other cities on Monday, August 24, after heavy rain, low clouds, and thunderstorms disrupted operations over the National Capital Region. The diverted flights included at least two international services, with most being domestic flights from Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad; aircraft were rerouted mainly to Jaipur, Chandigarh, and Lucknow, which had better weather at the time.

Beyond the confirmed diversions, multiple go-arounds and holding patterns occurred through the afternoon and evening as visibility dropped and wet runway conditions developed. Once the worst weather cleared, controllers resumed landings at Delhi, but aircraft at diversion airports needed refueling, crew checks, and new departure slots before returning, causing extended delays across the network. Departures from Delhi were also affected as stand availability, crew duty limits, and aircraft positioning were disrupted, delaying scores of additional flights.

The episode occurred amid active monsoon conditions across north and central India, with Delhi's August rainfall already running above the long-period average before the August 24 downpour.