Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport on Sunday reacted to a complaint from Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, whose IndiGo flight was diverted unnecessarily to Delhi. The diversion was caused due to operational limitations due to runway infrastructure work and sudden alteration in wind patterns, airport officials said.
The incident took place when Abdullah’s flight, initially heading for Delhi, was diverted to Jaipur, pushing his arrival back to 3 AM. The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) responded to the situation on social media site X, giving a detailed response to Abdullah’s complaint.
“Dear Mr. Abdullah, since you might have heard, we’ve released various advisories concerning the unseasonal reversing wind patterns in Delhi. Runway 10/28 has remained closed for upgradation of ILS since 8th April, after due consultation with all stakeholders and taking into consideration the past wind patterns,” DIAL said.
They also added, “Furthermore, the transition to more easterly winds and utilization of converging runways for easterly landings have caused temporary capacity limitations during this upgrade. These circumstances, occasionally, cause flight diversions for the sake of passenger safety. We truly apologize for the inconvenience.”
Omar Abdullah expresses frustration at delay
Earlier that day, Omar Abdullah had taken to X to express his anger over the absence of information from the airport and airline officials after his flight had been diverted to Jaipur.
In a strongly worded tweet, he wrote, “Delhi airport is a bloody shit show (excuse my French but I’m in no mood to be polite). 3 hours in the air after we left Jammu we get diverted to Jaipur & so here I am at 1 in the morning on the steps of the plane getting some fresh air. I’ve no idea what time we will leave from here.”
He subsequently updated, “In case anyone is wondering, I reached Delhi just after 3:00 am.” DIAL had previously issued weather advisories, encourages passengers to remain informed
The airport authority stressed that they had already made weather-related advisories in advance, cautioning passengers regarding possible delays and diversions. These warnings were part of DIAL’s initiative to inform travelers during uncertain weather conditions in the capital. They also urged passengers to stay in contact with their respective airlines for immediate information on flight statuses.
So far, IndiGo has not made an official comment on the incident.
