Diwali Smoke Disrupts 26 Flights at Chennai Airport; Raipur Flight Diverted to Bengaluru

Thick smoke from Diwali firecrackers disrupted flight operations at Chennai International Airport on Sunday night, affecting 26 flights. Eleven arriving flights were delayed, while 15 departing flights experienced delays. An IndiGo flight from Raipur carrying 156 passengers was unable to land in Chennai and was diverted back to Bengaluru.

The disruption occurred after a thick blanket of firecracker smoke covered the runway area, reducing visibility and forcing air traffic control officials to closely monitor aircraft movements.

According to airport sources, 11 incoming flights from Kolkata, Delhi, Pune, Sri Lanka, Bangkok, Thiruvananthapuram, Singapore, Raipur, Siliguri, Tiruchy and Kuala Lumpur had to circle in the air before landing.

However, the IndiGo flight from Raipur, which continued to hover over Chennai, eventually returned to Bengaluru after being unable to land safely.

Similarly, 15 departing flights to destinations including Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi, Pune, Tiruchy, Sri Lanka, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi were delayed.

Chennai Airport Monitored Runway Visibility

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) had anticipated possible visibility problems caused by firecracker smoke and made additional arrangements in the airport`s Air Traffic Control (ATC) room.

Officials closely monitored runway visibility and permitted aircraft to land or take off only when conditions were considered safe.

Firecracker Smoke Affects Chennai Air Quality

Although Sunday morning rain in Chennai initially restricted Diwali celebrations, residents began bursting firecrackers in large numbers from around 6 pm, even before the government-permitted time of 7 pm.

Firecracker use continued beyond 10 pm, resulting in a significant deterioration in air quality across Chennai and its suburbs.

Residential neighbourhoods around Meenambakkam Airport also witnessed extensive firecracker activity, contributing to the smoke that spread across the runway area.

More Flights Affected Than Last Year

The disruption was more severe than during Diwali 2025, when firecracker smoke affected 15 flights at Chennai Airport. Of these, seven arriving flights and eight departing flights were delayed. However, no aircraft was forced to divert to another airport last year.

This year, the number of affected flights increased to 26. The diversion of the Raipur–Chennai IndiGo flight to Bengaluru further added to the inconvenience faced by passengers.