Cyclone Fengal: Chennai airport suspends operations; airlines cancel flights

Operations at the Chennai airport were suspended on Saturday due to gusty winds and heavy rains caused by cyclone Fengal, resulting in multiple flight cancellations and impacting hundreds of passengers.

Parts of the airport were inundated due to the heavy rains.

"In light of Cyclonic Storm 'Fengal' and the forecasted high crosswinds, as predicted by IMD, Chennai Airport operations will be suspended from 1230 hrs to 1900 hrs on 30.11.2024 following safety concerns raised by stakeholder airlines. We recommend passengers check with their respective airlines regarding their flights," Airports Authority of India (AAI) said in a post on X.

IndiGo, in a post on X at 6.06 pm, said the weather in Chennai has not improved, and flights to and from the city continue to stay impacted. "We are constantly monitoring the situation as we work to keep you informed," it added.

Earlier in the day, the airline said all flights to/from the city have been cancelled.

IndiGo operates more than 120 daily direct flights to 38 domestic and 11 international destinations.

"Due to the impact of #CycloneFengal in #Chennai, flights operating to the city are being diverted. Our crew and airport teams are dedicated to providing all possible support & assistance during this time," the carrier said in a post at 1.11 pm.

At 9.23 am, Air India also said in a post on X that flights to and from Chennai are being affected due to inclement weather and heavy rains.

Meanwhile, SpiceJet, in a post at 11.24 am on X, said due to bad weather in Chennai, all departures and arrivals and their consequential flights might be affected.

There were gusty winds and heavy downpour in the city, disrupting normal life.