Cyclone Fengal: Chennai Airport Closed Till 4 AM On Sunday, Bus Service Arranged For Passengers As Heavy Rains Lash Tamil Nadu

Airport authorities announced the closure Saturday morning as the heavy rains and strong winds impacted visibility, making flight operations risky.

Chennai: The Chennai International Airport was closed till 4 AM on Sunday due to heavy rains and stormy winds impacting visibility and making flight operations difficult following the landfall of Cyclone Fengal.

The Chennai Airport in a post on X stated, "A team of senior officials is closely monitoring the situation to facilitate the earliest resumption of operations as meteorological conditions improve. A WebEx meeting was conducted on 30th November 2024 at 1630 hrs, involving all stakeholders and officials from the India Meteorological Department (IMD)."

"During the meeting, IMD provided updates indicating that the landfall is expected around 2030 hrs, with prevailing weather conditions likely to persist until 2330 hrs. Following consultations with AAI Headquarters and considering feedback from stakeholders, it has been decided to extend the closure of operations through a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) until 0400 IST on 1st December 2024. We recommend passengers check with their respective airlines regarding their flights," the Chennai Airport added.

Earlier it was decided that the Airport would remain shut for operations till 7 PM today. "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 (Today) following safety concerns raised by stakeholder airlines. We recommend passengers check with their respective airlines regarding their flights. Stay tuned to this space for further updates!" Chennai Airport announced in a post on its official X handle.

The airport arranged special buses for the passengers who had to change their travel plans because of the inclement weather.

Earlier today, the Airport authorities said flight operations will resume once the weather improves, and asked passengers to check with their respective airlines for updates. It also shared multiple posts of flights being diverted to original destinations or Hyderabad and Bangalore.

"IndiGo Airlines has temporarily suspended all arrival and departure flight operations at Chennai Airport due to adverse weather conditions. Flight operations will resume once the weather improves, prioritising the safety of passengers and crew. We recommend passengers check with their respective airlines for real-time updates," read another post earlier today.

In a separate post on X, the airport shared a list of flights cancelled. "The passengers be informed that flights to and from the following destinations have been cancelled. We recommend passengers check with their respective airlines for real-time updates," it said. The list included 11 incoming and as many outgoing flights.

The southern state is witnessing rough weather as cyclonic storm Fengal, expected to make landfall near Puducherry later in the day, continues to move towards the coast.

Several parts of the state were pounded by heavy rains accompanied by gusty winds, affecting normal life. What began as intermittent rainfall in coastal regions on the night of November 29, gradually became steady leading to water logging in several areas.

The government had already declared November 30 a holiday for educational institutions and requested IT firms to make their employees work from home. As the sea was pretty rough, police put up barricades blocking access to noted beaches including the Marina and Mamallapuram.

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