Chennai: Flight ops hit on Pongal eve as ‘Bhogi’ smoke adds to fog, affects visibility
Both arrivals and departure of flights were disrupted for about two hours on Sunday morning, officials said; smoke combined with fog to form a dense smog
Three international flights, scheduled to land in Chennai, were diverted to Hyderabad on Sunday (January 14) as ‘Bhogi’ smoke affected visibility, airport officials said.
Bhogi is celebrated on the eve of the harvest festival of Pongal. People burn domestic waste in keeping with tradition to welcome a new beginning.
Both arrivals and departure of flights were disrupted for about two hours on Sunday morning, officials said. The smoke combined with fog to form a dense smog.
However, the impact on air traffic due to burning of waste was relatively minimal this year in view of sensitization and precautionary measures.
AAI officials lauded Chennai airport and ATC authorities for their preparations to tackle the situation, after taking into consideration the smog factor, they added.
A domestic flight from Delhi was also diverted to the Telangana capital.
Airport authorities had days ago appealed to people living near the airfield to avoid burning waste as the resultant smog could affect visibility and affect flight operations.
(With agency inputs)