India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has held an aviation safety review as Cyclone Arnab threatens Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha, with the storm expected to intensify into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm before crossing the Andhra Pradesh coast on 28 October.
Information from the India Meteorological Department indicates sustained winds of 125-135 kmph, with gusts reaching 150 kmph. MoCA said flights to and from coastal Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha, including Bhubaneswar, were expected to face the greatest impact. Hyderabad, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Gorakhpur could also experience knock-on delays, depending on the storm’s track.
Airport operations suspended
Flight activity at Visakhapatnam was suspended from the afternoon of 27 October. At Vijayawada and Rajahmundry, all flights were suspended after 19:00 local time on the same day. A Delhi–Bhogapuram–Delhi service was cancelled for 28 October.
The ministry’s review brought together aviation bodies, meteorological authorities, operators and disaster-response organisations. The participants included the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), India Meteorological Department (IMD), airline and airport operators, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and disaster management authorities in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal.
MoCA stressed the need for coordination between the organisations involved in airport and flight operations, weather monitoring and emergency response. Airlines were advised to follow operational procedures for adverse weather and to tell passengers about delays or cancellations. The ministry also said carriers must comply with applicable requirements on rebooking and refunds.
Provisional cancellations reported
The cancellation figures provided by MoCA were provisional. The reported position by carrier was:
| Airline | Reported impact |
|---|---|
| Air India | Six cancellations on Delhi–Visakhapatnam–Delhi on 27 October and Delhi–Vijayawada–Delhi on 28 October |
| Air India Express | Thirteen cancellations, mainly services to and from Visakhapatnam involving Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Vijayawada, as well as Varanasi–Bangkok and Bangkok–Visakhapatnam |
| IndiGo | Flights suspended at Visakhapatnam, and at Vijayawada and Rajahmundry after 19:00 on 27 October |
| Akasa Air | Delhi–Bhogapuram and the return service cancelled on 28 October |
Akasa Air expected its other flights to operate, while Alliance Air was operating normally with no cancellations reported at the time of the review. IndiGo’s reported suspensions covered the three airports affected by the operational restrictions, while Air India Express’s provisional total included international sectors linked to Visakhapatnam.
Passenger checks advised
Passengers have been asked to check their flight status through their airline’s website, app, helpline or SMS before leaving for the airport. The advice applies as the storm’s projected path continues to determine the extent of disruption across the affected airports and the possibility of delays at airports farther from the coast.
- Visakhapatnam operations were suspended from the afternoon of 27 October.
- Vijayawada and Rajahmundry suspended all flights after 19:00 local time on 27 October.
- MoCA reported 13 provisional Air India Express cancellations and six involving Air India.
