Chennai Airport Cancels 8 Flights, Delays 10 Amid Bhogi Smoke and Fog

Chennai International Airport experienced operational disruptions on Wednesday as smoke haze from Bhogi festival celebrations combined with early morning fog, prompting airlines to cancel eight flights and delay another ten services, affecting domestic connectivity across India.

Airport authorities and airline operators took precautionary measures ahead of the festival, which traditionally involves early-morning burning of household waste and agricultural material in and around Tamil Nadu. The resultant smoke, compounded by typical winter fog, reduced visibility across the airfield, challenging normal take-off and landing operations.

The eight cancellations included both arriving and departing rotations spread across domestic sectors such as Pune, Coimbatore, Mumbai and Delhi. In addition, ten flights — seven departures and three arrivals — were delayed by between one and three hours. Operators had already notified passengers in advance to mitigate inconvenience.

Visibility is a critical safety parameter for aircraft at final approach and departure. Smoke particles and haze can degrade runway visual range (RVR), compelling air traffic control to implement low visibility operational procedures, adjust slot timings, or suspend services until conditions improve. In this instance, although actual smoke and fog were not as dense as forecast, airlines chose to adjust operations as a precaution.

Chennai Airport is prone to annual disruptions around the Bhogi festival, a precursor to the Pongal holidays. Historical data shows that some years have seen more severe impacts on flight schedules when atmospheric conditions align with widespread burning activities in populated areas south and west of the airport.

The Airports Authority of India and airline partners have previously adjusted flight schedules between early morning hours to absorb visibility-based constraints. For the 2026 Bhogi period, rescheduling and passenger advisories were issued well ahead of time in recognition of likely operational challenges.

The combination of cultural practices and meteorological conditions highlights the interface between civil aviation operations and local environmental phenomena. For carriers operating narrowbody fleets on short-haul domestic networks, such disruptions can cascade into broader schedule irregularities if not managed through robust contingency planning.

Airport and airline sources report that, despite the cancellations and delays, there were no safety incidents attributable directly to the reduced visibility. Normal operations resumed as conditions improved later in the morning, with ground handling and air traffic services adapting to the evolving visibility profile throughout the affected hours.

For regulators, aerodrome operators and carriers alike, the recurring pattern of Bhogi-linked flight disruptions underscores the importance of integrating local festival calendars, air quality forecasts and visibility risk assessments into daily operations planning to ensure safety without undue impact on network performance.