Flight operations at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport faced significant disruptions due to dense fog, affecting schedules and causing inconvenience to passengers. The impact lasted for three consecutive days, from January 23 to January 25, with a total of 159 flights affected during this period. On January 23 alone, 72 flights were disrupted, followed by 34 on January 24 and 53 on January 25.
On Sunday, fog continued to affect flight schedules, leading to delays for 13 flights—two arrivals and 11 departures—due to poor visibility. Airport Director Pravat Ranjan Beuria confirmed that low visibility procedures (LVP) were implemented at the airport to ensure safety. The LVP is activated when visibility drops below 800 meters or when the cloud ceiling falls below 200 feet. During this period, ‘follow-me’ vehicles guide aircraft to their designated stands to mitigate risks.
The implementation of LVP requires close coordination between the airport operator, air traffic control (ATC), and pilots to ensure smooth landings, taxiing, and takeoffs using advanced navigation systems and ground lighting. Despite these measures, the persistent fog caused widespread delays, affecting airline operations and leading to passenger inconvenience in the eastern metropolis.
