Flights grounded at Bhubaneswar airport, only one departure on dense fog-laden New Year morning

Dense fog severely disrupted flight operations at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar on Thursday morning, with only one aircraft managing to take off amid extremely poor visibility, leaving several flights stranded on the runway and passengers facing prolonged delays on the first day of the New Year.

Sources reported that flight operations were hit as dense fog enveloped the airport premises and surrounding areas since early morning hours. Visibility in parts of Bhubaneswar and neighbouring Cuttack dropped to below 50 metres, making safe aircraft movement difficult.

As a result, multiple flights remained grounded on the runway, while several departures and arrivals were delayed.

According to ground reports, flights to and from North Indian destinations were among the most affected. Airlines, including Air India and IndiGo, confirmed disruptions to their schedules due to foggy conditions, citing safety concerns linked to low visibility.

Only One Flight Departs, Others Held Up

At the time of reporting, by 9:30 am, only one flight could depart from Bhubaneswar during the morning window, while several others were either delayed or placed on hold. Aircraft were seen stationed on the runway for extended periods as pilots awaited improvement in visibility conditions.

As of the last reports, airport authorities had not released an official count of the number of flights affected. However, sources indicated that both departures and arrivals were impacted, with cascading delays expected through the day if fog conditions persisted.

Passengers Face Inconvenience

The disruption caused major inconvenience to passengers, many of whom were seen waiting inside the terminal lobby for updates. Ground staff were deployed to manage crowds and provide information as revised departure timings were communicated intermittently.

Several travellers reported extended waiting times, particularly those scheduled to fly to northern destinations. Airlines advised passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport due to rapidly changing weather conditions.

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Fog Widespread Across Odisha

The flight disruptions came as large parts of Odisha remained under the grip of dense fog on Thursday morning. A thick fog layer covered both coastal and northern interior districts, significantly affecting road traffic during early hours.

Dense fog was reported from districts including Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Angul and Deogarh, in addition to the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. Motorists were forced to slow down or halt movement in several areas due to near-zero visibility.