21 flights cancelled, 14 others delayed as heavy rains, winds hit Chennai airport vicinity

CHENNAI: Due to heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and strong winds in the vicinity of the Chennai airport, 21 flight services have been cancelled, causing inconvenience to travellers.

Seven flights scheduled to land in Chennai had to be diverted to Bengaluru. Additionally, flights bound for 14 destinations including Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Madurai from Chennai were delayed for several hours.

Until early afternoon, scorching heat conditions prevailed in various suburbs of Chennai. Later in the evening, intense thunderclouds formed, followed by heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning.

Areas near the Chennai airport were also affected by strong winds and pouring rain, resulting in significant disruptions to flight services.

Three flights scheduled to land in Chennai in the evening were diverted back to Bangalore because they were unable to land in Chennai. They were: an Indigo Airlines flight from Coimbatore to Chennai at 5:15 pm, an Indigo Airlines flight from Delhi to Chennai at 5:25 pm, and an Air India passenger flight from Mumbai to Chennai at 5:25 pm.

Subsequently, the four planes that arrived from Mumbai, Madurai, Bengaluru, and another location circled in the sky for an extended period as they couldn't land in Chennai. The flights were then diverted to Bangalore.

Similarly, it has been announced that 14 flights scheduled to depart from Chennai to Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Guwahati, Ranchi, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Madurai, Pune, Ahmedabad, and other destinations will also be delayed.

As the monsoon rains are set to begin, significant weather changes are expected. In this regard, airport authorities in Chennai have indicated that flight services will continue to be affected as the weather unfolds.