Chennai airport smoke delays 26 flights and diverts IndiGo service

Disruption overview

Diwali firecracker smoke disrupted 27 flights at Chennai airport overnight on 8–9 November 2026, with 11 arrivals and 15 departures delayed and an IndiGo service diverted to Bengaluru. Flight 6E2002 eventually landed in Chennai at 1:54 am after visibility improved, following a scheduled arrival of 10:45 pm. Airport officials continuously monitored conditions as runway visibility dropped to about 900 meters, below the 950-meter minimum required for runway 07. Compensation is unlikely because the disruption was outside the airline's control, but affected passengers can still ask their airline about applicable care, assistance, and any rebooking or refund options.

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Disruption details

Smoke from Diwali fireworks delayed 26 flights at Chennai airport on the night of 8 November 2026 and forced an IndiGo service to divert to Bengaluru. The disruption affected 27 flights overall, with the diverted aircraft returning to Chennai early on 9 November.

For passengers, this meant longer waits for arrivals and departures, while those aboard the diverted flight reached Chennai after their scheduled landing time. If you were traveling that night, your flight's movements depended on visibility improving enough for it to operate safely.

IndiGo flight 6E2002 was due to land in Chennai at 10:45 pm. With visibility below the minimum required for landing, the pilot diverted to Bengaluru at 11:15 pm as a precaution. Once conditions improved, the aircraft returned and landed in Chennai at 1:54 am on 9 November.

The diversion was a safety decision driven by runway visibility, rather than a problem caused by the airline.

Across the airport, the delays affected both domestic and international services:

• The 11 delayed arrivals included services from Kolkata, Delhi, Pune, Sri Lanka, Bangkok, Thiruvananthapuram, Singapore, Raipur, Siliguri, Tiruchirappalli, and Kuala Lumpur.

• The 15 delayed departures included services to Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi, Pune, Tiruchirappalli, Sri Lanka, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Abu Dhabi.

Smoke accumulated near the runway, particularly around Meenambakkam. Visibility dropped to about 900 meters, below the 950-meter minimum needed for runway 07. That threshold measures how far pilots can see along the runway and helps determine whether a landing can go ahead safely.

The Airports Authority of India had prepared the airport's control room for possible firecracker smoke. Officials monitored runway visibility continuously and allowed flights to move only when conditions were safe.

For flights other than the diverted IndiGo service, visibility improved enough within minutes for operations to continue. This helped contain the disruption rather than turn it into a prolonged interruption.

Chennai airport experienced a similar issue during the previous Diwali, when firecracker smoke delayed 15 flights. No flights were diverted on that occasion.

Compensation is unlikely for this disruption because the smoke and reduced visibility were outside the airline's control. But that doesn't mean you're without support.

If your journey was affected, ask your airline what care and assistance applies, including food, refreshments, or accommodation during a lengthy wait. If your flight is canceled, ask about rebooking or a refund. Your exact options depend on your flight and circumstances, and AirHelp's free flight checker can help you check whether compensation could apply to your journey.

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Information on this page is AI generated, but always checked by a (human) passenger right expert.