Thick smog blanketed the Indian capital on Friday, significantly reducing visibility and raising concerns about potential disruptions to flights and train services. The severe air quality crisis has prompted warnings from airport and airline officials as Delhi struggles with worsening pollution levels this winter.

As of Friday morning, Delhi ranked as the third-most polluted capital in the world, according to live rankings by Swiss air quality monitoring group IQAir. The city’s air quality index (AQI) was rated "very poor" at 351, far exceeding the "good" range of 0-50, as reported by the Central Pollution Control Board.

While no flight diversions or cancellations were reported, airport authorities issued a cautionary statement on social media platform X, warning that aircraft without specialized equipment for low-visibility landings might encounter difficulties. Leading airlines, including IndiGo and SpiceJet, also alerted passengers to potential weather-related delays.

By 10:14 a.m., aviation tracker FlightRadar24 recorded an average delay of eight minutes for 20 flights departing from Delhi. The smog also affected rail operations, with media reports of train delays across the city.

Delhi’s annual winter smog crisis is fueled by a combination of crop-burning practices in neighboring states, vehicle emissions, and industrial pollutants, making it a recurring challenge for the city.

Authorities and environmental experts are urging immediate action to address the deteriorating air quality, which poses severe health risks to residents.