Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday lambasted Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport as his flight was delayed and diverted to Jaipur before landing in the national capital early morning. He called the Delhi international airport a “bloody shit show,” adding he was “in no mood to be polite.”
Accompanying his post with a selfie taken from outside an IndiGo plane at the Jaipur airport, he wrote on X, “Delhi airport is a bloody sh*t 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”. Delhi airport operator DIAL regretted the inconvenience caused to him and said there are temporary capacity constraints due to runway upgradation and easterly winds.
The Delhi Airport responded to Abdullah on Sunday, citing “unseasonal changing wind patterns” for the delay. “Dear Mr Abdullah, as you may be aware, we’ve issued several advisories regarding the unseasonal changing wind patterns in Delhi. Runway 10/28 has been closed for ILS upgradation since 8th April, following consultation with all stakeholders and based on historical wind patterns. Additionally, the shift toward more easterly winds and the use of converging runways for easterly arrivals have led to temporary capacity constraints during this degradation,” it said. Meanwhile, the IGI Airport Sunday morning issued an advisory for passengers, saying that airlines may experience delays “due to shifting wind patterns in the vicinity of the airport”.
In a post on X, the airport said air traffic flow management measures for flight arrivals will be implemented from 8.30 am to 12.30 pm to ensure safe operations in accordance with international and regulatory protocols, keeping passenger safety the highest priority.
All other operations across terminals and three runways at Delhi Airport, continue to function normally. Passengers are advised to stay in touch with their respective airlines for the latest updates on flight schedules,” it said on X. It added, “We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding.”
Omar’s comments came amid widespread flight delays caused by adverse weather in the Valley. On Saturday, at least six flights were cancelled at the Srinagar airport, where moderate to heavy rainfall and hailstorms disrupted operations.