13 flights delayed at Kolkata airport due poor visibility caused by fog

Flight operations at Kolkata Airport were disrupted for three consecutive days from January 23 to January 25 due to dense fog, affecting the schedules of airlines and causing inconvenience to passengers.

In Short

• 13 flights delayed at Kolkata airport due to fog
• Low visibility procedures declared when visibility under 800m
• Fog disrupted flights for 3 days from Jan 23

The arrival and departure of a total of 13 flights were delayed at Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Sunday due to poor visibility caused by fog in the eastern metropolis, a senior official said.

Airport Director Pravat Ranjan Beuria said that the arrival of at least two flights and the departure of 11 others were delayed due to the fog.

He said that low visibility procedures (LVP) were implemented at the airport on Sunday morning due to the fog cover.

The ATC declares LVP when visibility falls below 800 metres, after which 'follow-me' vehicles guide aircraft to their stands, a top Airports Authority of India (AAI) official in Kolkata said.

The LVP is also activated when the cloud ceiling is below 200 feet.

The procedure involves coordination among the airport operator, air traffic control (ATC), and pilots to manage flights safely and minimise disruptions. These ensure that aircraft are able to land, taxi, and take off safely, using advanced navigation systems and ground lighting.

Flight operations at NSCBI Airport were disrupted for three consecutive days from January 23 to January 25 due to dense fog, affecting the schedules of airlines and causing inconvenience to passengers.

A total of 72 flights were affected on January 23, 34 flights on January 24, while 53 flights were affected on January 25.