Air India issues advisory as IMD warns of rain-related flight delays in Delhi-NCR

Air India issued a travel advisory early Monday, cautioning passengers of potential disruptions to flight operations due to ongoing rainfall in Delhi-NCR. The alert came shortly after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for the region, warning of thunderstorms and localised showers.

“Rain and thunderstorms may impact flight operations to and from Delhi today,” the airline posted on X. It urged passengers to “check your flight status... before heading to the airport and allow extra time for your journey.”

The advisory was directed at flyers using Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, but it also extended to neighbouring areas including Dwarka, Gurugram, Palam, and Vasant Kunj, where heavy rain could disrupt road travel.

According to IMD’s 9:10 AM forecast, light rainfall was likely to occur in multiple localities over the next two hours. In a post on X, the weather agency said, “Light rainfall is very likely to occur at Delhi (Jafarpur, Nazafgarh, Dwarka, Delhi Cantt, Palam, IGI Airport, Vasant Vihar, Vasant Kunj, Aya Nagar), NCR (Gurugram, Manesar)... during next 2 hrs.”

The areas most likely to be impacted include Noida, Greater Noida, Faridabad, Ballabhgarh, Kalkaji, Lajpat Nagar, Tughlakabad, and others in the capital and its outskirts.

On Sunday, IndiGo Airlines had issued a separate advisory as well, alerting flyers to possible road delays.

“Heavy rain is expected across #Delhi, may slow down road movement in some areas. If you are travelling to the airport, we suggest starting a little earlier than usual,” the airline advised.

It also encouraged passengers to “check traffic updates and your flight status before leaving for the airport.”

The rain spell brought down temperatures and offered a temporary respite from the intense humidity witnessed over the past few days. Commuters noted the cool breeze and drop in heat, especially during the early morning hours.

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre, Delhi recorded 27.2°C at Safdarjung at 8:30 AM with 100% humidity. The IMD has forecast intermittent rainfall for the next five to six days, although no major alert has been issued at this stage.

The maximum temperature is projected to remain 1–3°C below normal, hovering between 32°C and 34°C, while the minimum may dip to around 23.6°C, nearly 4 degrees below seasonal average.