India’s winter weather, including dense fog, low visibility, and snowfall, is now disrupting air travel across the country, leading to multiple flight cancellations and delays. Major carriers like IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Air India have issued fresh travel advisories, urging passengers to check flight status updates before heading to the airport and plan accordingly.
What’s Happening
On Monday, January 5, 2026, severe weather conditions hit several regions of India, grounding flights and slowing operations at airports ranging from Leh to Delhi and beyond. Snowfall in Leh forced airlines to suspend take-offs and landings, while foggy conditions across North and Central India reduced visibility and affected departures and arrivals at multiple airports.
Who It Affects
- Air passengers nationwide, particularly those flying to/from snow-hit or fog-affected cities
- Leh flyers, some flights are halted temporarily
- Travel planners & FlipMyTravel users encouraged to check live flight status before travel
- Families, business travellers, and holiday travellers during the winter season
Travel advisories from the airlines recommend that passengers reconfirm flight timing, use rebooking/refund options, and arrive early at airports to avoid inconveniences.
Where It Happened
Weather-related flight disruption was reported across India:
- Leh Airport – snow caused take-offs and landings to be suspended
- Northern India (Delhi, Bhopal, Ranchi, Agartala, Guwahati, Bhubaneswar) – fog and low visibility hampered operations
- Some other airports experienced cascading delays due to network impacts from late arrivals or grounded flights
Passengers are asked to track conditions in both departure and arrival cities to prevent travel surprises.
When It Happened
These disruptions have been ongoing over the past several days, with the worst conditions appearing on Monday (Jan 5, 2026). Dense fog and snowfall continue to affect flight schedules even as authorities monitor the changing weather patterns.
Why It’s Happening
Winter weather has intensified across northern and high-altitude regions:
- Dense fog reduces runway visibility, forcing delays and cancellations
- Heavy snowfall in high-altitude airports like Leh temporarily halts operations
- Cold wave conditions and low temperatures compound travel challenges
These weather patterns are typical of the Indian winter but have been especially disruptive this season, leading to cautionary advisories and proactive safety measures by airlines and airports.
Air Travel Tips for Passengers
Before You Head to Airport
✔ Always check flight status on airline apps or airport websites
✔ Allow extra travel time to the airport due to low visibility on roads
✔ Be aware of rebooking/refund options if your flight is delayed or cancelled
At the Airport
✔ Listen to airline announcements
✔ Approach airline counters early if your flight is delayed
✔ For connecting flights, confirm onward services before departure
FlipMyTravel Tip
Use FlipMyTravel’s real-time flight status tracker and weather alerts to plan alternate routes including buses, trains, or hotels, in case of extended delays or cancellations.
Highlights – At a Glance
- Severe winter weather caused widespread flight disruptions across India.
- Leh flight operations suspended due to heavy snowfall.
- Fog reduced visibility at multiple airports, impacting scheduled flights.
- Airlines IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet issued advisories, urging passengers to check flight status and prepare for delays or cancellations. X (formerly Twitter)+1
Heavy snowfall and dense fog disrupted flight operations across India on January 5, 2026, leading to flight cancellations and delays. Carriers including IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Air India issued travel advisories advising passengers to check live flight status, arrive early at airports, and take advantage of rebooking or refund options if needed.
