Diwali smoke disrupts 26 flights at Chennai airport; Raipur flight diverted to Bengaluru

Thick smoke from Diwali firecrackers disrupted flight operations at Chennai airport on Sunday night, affecting a total of 26 flights. Airport sources say 11 arriving flights were delayed and 15 departing flights were delayed or late.

Air traffic control officials monitored runway visibility as a dense smoke blanket enveloped the runway area. The Airports Authority of India prepared for possible visibility issues and kept aircraft movements under close observation, allowing landings and takeoffs only when the runway was clearly visible.

Several arriving flights were held in the air briefly before landing, coming from destinations including Kolkata, Delhi, Pune, Sri Lanka, Bangkok, Thiruvananthapuram, Singapore, Raipur, Siliguri, Tiruchy and Kuala Lumpur. The disruption impacted the flow of inbound traffic as crews awaited clearer conditions.

The IndiGo flight from Raipur, carrying 156 passengers, could not land in Chennai and subsequently diverted back to Bengaluru after hovering over the airport. This diversion added to passenger disruption associated with the smoky conditions on the night.

On the departure side, 15 flights to destinations such as Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi, Pune, Tiruchy, Sri Lanka, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi faced delays, reflecting the broader impact of reduced visibility on operations.

Residents in the area reported continued cracker use beyond the permitted times, contributing to deteriorating air quality and visibility around Meenambakkam airport despite earlier restrictions and brief rain that morning. The situation marked a more pronounced disruption compared with Diwali 2025, which saw delays but no diversions.