Bhubaneswar, Dec 19: An Air India flight operating from Mumbai to Varanasi was forced to make an emergency landing at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar on Friday after dense fog and poor visibility conditions made landing in Varanasi unsafe. Airline officials said the diversion was carried out purely as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of passengers and crew on board.

The aircraft landed safely in Bhubaneswar, and passengers were informed that the flight would resume its onward journey to Varanasi once weather conditions improve. In the meantime, Air India arranged accommodation and other necessary facilities for the stranded passengers in Bhubaneswar.

The prevailing fog conditions disrupted air traffic across several routes in eastern and northern India. Multiple flights were either cancelled or rescheduled due to low visibility. Air India and IndiGo services from Delhi to Bhubaneswar were cancelled, while three outbound flights from Bhubaneswar to Varanasi, Guwahati, and Hyderabad were also scrapped.

Authorities at BPIA confirmed that at least three additional flights faced delays or rescheduling, causing considerable inconvenience to passengers and disrupting travel plans.

Powered by Froala Editor