Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) witnessed a chaotic start to the mid-week rush as operational issues and poor visibility disrupted flight schedules for the second day in a row. Passengers arriving for early-morning departures on Wednesday found long queues at airline counters, repeated rescheduling and limited clarity on revised timings. The airport operator has urged flyers to monitor real-time updates and coordinate closely with their airlines as disruptions may continue depending on weather conditions.

The first signs of trouble began on Tuesday evening, when a thick layer of fog reduced visibility around the airport. Two inbound services were immediately diverted. A flight from Riyadh, operating as XY325, was routed to Mumbai, while IndiGo’s 6E 352 from Pune was redirected to Bengaluru. Airport officials later said the conditions remained unstable and warned that more diversions were possible if the weather worsened.

Departures hit as operational issues deepen

By late evening, the impact had spilled over to outbound flights as airlines flagged wider operational challenges. Several departures, including services to Visakhapatnam, Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi, were delayed through the night. Passengers waiting at the gates said they received multiple changes in departure timings, prompting many to queue at service counters for assistance or alternative connections.

The situation remained tense on Wednesday morning as airlines worked through a backlog of delayed aircraft and crew changes. Officials said the combination of Tuesday’s visibility issues and subsequent operational constraints was putting continued pressure on turnaround schedules.

The airport also reported a string of cancellations through Tuesday night and early Wednesday. Services to Delhi, Madurai, Bengaluru and Bhubaneswar were among those called off due to the cascading operational impact. On the arrivals side, flights from Goa, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Madurai and Bengaluru were cancelled, leaving many families and business travellers stranded.

While airlines issued advisories urging passengers not to rush to the airport without confirmation, several travellers complained of receiving updates only after reaching the terminal. Airport staff have been deployed at additional checkpoints to help manage crowds and guide stranded passengers.

Adding to concerns across the southern aviation network, the Bengaluru City Police launched an investigation after a bomb threat email was sent to the Commissioner of Police on Sunday. The message, issued under the name ‘Mohit Kumar’, claimed that explosives had been planted at Kempegowda International Airport and several major malls across the city. The sender claimed affiliation with a so-called ‘Jaish-e-Mohammed White Collar Terror Team’.

Security teams were immediately placed on alert. Checks were carried out at all targeted locations and no suspicious items were found. An FIR under Section 173 of the BNSS has been registered, and cyber units are tracing the origin of the email. Police said additional security measures remain in place as a precaution.

Airport sources said the situation at Hyderabad is likely to stabilise gradually, but low-visibility conditions cannot be ruled out in the early hours of the next few days. Travellers have been advised to check flight status before leaving home, arrive well in advance and avoid unnecessary travel until operations return to normal.