New Delhi, September 4: Thunderstorms and heavy rain disrupted flight operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital on Friday, with at least nine flights diverted and more than 400 delayed.

According to airport officials, four flights each were diverted to Jaipur and Lucknow, and one to Ahmedabad, with the diversions taking place between 3:30 pm and 4:30 pm. Lucknow Airport confirmed that four Delhi-bound flights were rerouted back due to the adverse weather in the capital, while Jaipur Airport said five flights inbound to Delhi were diverted there for the same reason.

Scale of the disruption: IGIA handles roughly 1,300 flight movements a day, making it India's busiest airport. With over 400 flights delayed and nine diverted within a single afternoon window, Friday's disruption affected close to a third of the airport's daily traffic — underlining how quickly a fast-moving weather system can back up operations at high-volume hubs.

Several airlines issued travel advisories as the weather disrupted schedules. IndiGo said adverse weather over Delhi had affected flight timings and advised passengers to check their flight status before leaving for the airport and to allow extra travel time. Air India cautioned that operations to and from Delhi could be affected and urged passengers to check the latest status before heading out.

"Flight operations to and from Delhi may be affected due to adverse weather conditions today. To ensure a smooth travel experience, we encourage our passengers to check the latest flight status at the following link before heading to the airport," Air India said.

IndiGo added: "We are closely monitoring the weather and doing our best to get you where you need to be, safely and smoothly. We appreciate your continued patience and understanding. Your comfort and safety remain our top priority."

Akasa Air also confirmed that severe weather conditions in Delhi had affected certain flights across its network.

The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for heavy rainfall in parts of Delhi-NCR as thunderstorms and rain continued through the evening. Several parts of the city reported waterlogging in the aftermath, adding to road congestion already strained by the weather.

What travellers should do: Airlines are typically advising passengers flying to or from Delhi during active weather alerts to check real-time flight status directly through the airline's app or website rather than relying on scheduled timings, and to factor in additional time for ground travel to the airport given the likelihood of waterlogging on approach roads.