Flights to Leh cancelled due to record heatwave for fourth day in a row

Indian airlines, IndiGo and SpiceJet had to cancel four flights to Leh on Tuesday (Jul 30), due to an unprecedented heat wave in a much-colder region earlier. Tuesday’s cancellations to India’s highest airfield are the fourth such flight disruptions in a row.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) gave notice to these airlines on Tuesday for “anticipated bad weather” (red heat) as the reason for the cancellations. The flights were scheduled to land at Leh’s Kushok Bakula Rinpoche Airport.

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Since, Saturday (Jul 27), a total of 16 flights have been cancelled due to unexpected high temperatures in Ladakh.

Rising temperatures in Ladakh, a matter of concern

Leh Airport sees cancellations when the temperature climbs beyond 32 degrees Celsius. Airlines decided not to operate their aircraft there as they would get stuck in Ladakh for that day.

“This is perhaps the first time that an extreme weather event (heat in high altitude) is causing flight cancellations at Leh airport. We cannot recall any time in the past something like this happening for three days in a row,” said airport sources.

IMD Director Sonam Lotus says, "...Steep rise in temperature, that too in Ladakh, is indeed a matter of concern. Glaciers are our natural resources and are very valuable. We get water from that glacier, so if the temperatures rise like this - when Ladakh's 30 degrees is like 40 degrees in the plains - the intense heat will melt the ice bodies faster."

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On a usual day, Leh sees traffic of 15-16 flights daily, including both arrivals and departures. The airport is at an altitude of 3.3 km above sea level, making it among the highest-elevation airfields in the world.

When airlines got to know that Leh's temperature could cross 32-33 degrees Celsius at the scheduled time of departure of their flights. The reason was that after landing, the aircraft would get stuck there till the next morning and not be able to do all the other routes it had to. Or it would have to fly back with hardly any passengers and baggage.

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On a regular day, Leh sees flight operations till around 1 pm only, as after that tailwinds get too strong to permit aircraft movement.

Heat is one of the major factors involved in the daily operations of arrivals and departures in places like North India and the Middle East. In Dubai, flights keep getting delayed or cancelled on a routine basis due to extreme heat.

(With inputs from agencies)