Airlines May Consider Canceling Flights In Advance: DGCA Issues SOP Amid Fog-Induced Delays

In response to the increasing number of flight delays and cancellations due to fog-related disruptions at airports, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) onMonday issued a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on Monday. The aviation watchdog has instructed airlines to provide accurate real-time information regarding delays and enhance the sensitization of staff at airports to communicate effectively with passengers, news agency PTI reported. The DGCA emphasised the importance of airlines publishing timely information about flight delays and ensuring that staff at airports continuously guide and inform passengers facing disruptions.

The SOPs also recommend that, in anticipation of significant delays due to prevalent fog season and adverse weather conditions, airlines may consider canceling flights in advance to prevent airport congestion and alleviate passenger inconvenience, PTI's report mentioned.These Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were issued by the regulator late Monday evening. Earlier in the day, following massive delays and chaos at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, the government had directed the airport to expedite the operationalisation of a CAT-III-compliant runway that has been closed for repair since September last year.

While appealing to travellers “to bear with us during this difficult period”, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia Monday in a post on X added that the DGCA will be issuing a standard operating procedure (SOP) for airlines on better communication and facilitation of passengers “to minimise discomfort in view of flight cancellations & delays due to adverse weather”.

In the SOP sent to all airlines, the DGCA said, “in view of the fog-induced disruptions and adverse weather conditions at various airports including Delhi Airport causing delays, cancellations and inconvenience to passengers, the…Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are mandated in public interest”.Airlines, it said, will be required to publish accurate real-time information regarding delays of their flights on their websites as well as give advance information to affected passengers by SMS/WhatsApp and email.

“Appropriate sensitization of the airline staff at the airports to suitably communicate with and continuously guide and inform the passengers about flight delays,” it said.It added that airlines may also cancel such flights that are anticipated to be delayed for more than hours. “…airlines may cancel, sufficiently in advance, such flights that are anticipated to be delayed or consequentially delayed on account of such conditions beyond a period of 3 hours with a view to obviate congestion at the airport and mitigate passenger inconvenience.

”“All airlines shall mandatorily adhere to the above SOP with immediate effect,” it said.Meanwhile, in his post, Scindia had said that all stakeholders are trying their best to minimise passenger inconvenience. “Incidences of unruly behaviour amidst this are unacceptable, and will be dealt with strongly in line with the existing legal provision