Flights Take Off Again At Srinagar Airport After Snowstorm Grounds Air Traffic For 24 Hours

Due to heavy snowfall throughout Kashmir, flight operations at Srinagar Airport were suspended for the entire day before resuming on Saturday morning. Many passengers had been inconvenienced by the temporary shutdown, but the weather improved and air traffic resumed.

Flight Operations Resume At Srinagar Airport

Kashmir saw a lot of snowfall on Friday, January 23, with moderate to heavy snowfall in many places. The runway at Srinagar Airport became unsafe for aircraft operations due to snow accumulation caused by the snowfall. As a result, all flights to and from the airport were cancelled for the day.

According to The Telegraph, early on Saturday morning, teams from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), working closely with the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), began clearing snow from the runway, apron, and taxiways. Once the weather improved and the area was fully cleared, a joint inspection was carried out to ensure safety.

Soon after, officials confirmed that flight operations had officially resumed, with at least one aircraft successfully landing at the airport. According to The Telegraph, flight operations have formally resumed since a plane recently touched down at the airport.

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Parts Of Srinagar Experienced First Snowfall Of The Season

Authorities said that flight services are expected to run normally for the rest of the day. However, some disruptions were still reported. An IndiGo flight was cancelled early in the morning due to unfavourable weather conditions, and a few other flights were cancelled because of NOTAMs issued in Delhi, The Telegraph reported.

On Friday, Kashmir saw severe winter weather, with reports of snowfall, rain, and strong winds in many places. The plains, including Srinagar, saw light to moderate snowfall, while the valley’s higher reaches saw moderate to heavy snowfall. In some parts of Srinagar, this was the first snowfall of the season, making it even colder.

Travellers who plan to fly to or from Srinagar should check the flight status before heading to the airport. Keeping up with the changing weather in the valley is also a good idea. Now that runways have been cleared and the weather has improved, Srinagar Airport is operating again, providing much-needed relief to airlines and stranded travellers.

Cover Image Courtesy: Srinagar Airport/X