Delhi Airport authorities, on Sunday (Apr 20), issued a clarification addressing the diversion of a Delhi-bound IndiGo flight with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on board, stating that the situation arose due to the temporary closure of a runway for upgradation work. 

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The authorities further emphasised that it was incorrect to blame the airport for the delays.

"Dear Mr Abdullah, further to our exchange of morning, would highlight that it is incorrect to blame Delhi airport for the current delays/ diversions. The fact is- The closure of Runway 10/28 since 8th April for essential Instrument Landing System (ILS) upgradation," the airport said in its response to Abdullah's post on X.

Delhi Airport authorities initially attributed the diversion of the IndiGo flight carrying Abdullah to operational issues due to the ongoing infrastructure work and changes in wind patterns. 

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The airport said that it had issued multiple advisories about the "unseasonal changing" wind patterns. It further stated that the runway 10/28 was closed since April 8 for Instrument Landing System (ILS) upgrades after consulting stakeholders and analysing historical wind data.

"Dear Mr Abdullah, as you may be aware, we've issued several advisories regarding the unseasonal changing wind patterns in Delhi. Runway 10/28 has been closed for ILS upgradation since 8th April, following consultation with all stakeholders and based on historical wind patterns," the airport said.

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The authorities further explained that these changes might have been responsible for the delay and the flight diversions, but they were necessary for the safety of the passengers.

"Additionally, the shift toward more easterly winds and the use of converging runways for easterly arrivals have led to temporary capacity constraints during this upgrade. These conditions, at times, result in flight diversions to ensure passenger safety. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused," it said.

'Delhi airport is a bloody sh*t show': Abdullah 

This comes after Abdullah slammed the Delhi Airport calling it a "sh*t show".

The Delhi-bound IndiGo flight, with the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister on board, was diverted to Jaipur on Saturday night and reached the national capital in the early hours of Sunday.

The flight reportedly departed from Japur at 2:00 am, and Abdullah confirmed that it landed in Delhi just after 3:00 am.

"In case anyone is wondering, I got to Delhi just after 3:00 AM," Abdullah posted on X, replying to his earlier complaint in which he had sharply criticised Delhi Airport.

"Delhi airport is a bloody shit show (excuse my French but I'm in no mood to be polite). 3 hours in the air after we left Jammu we get diverted to Jaipur & so here I am at 1 in the morning on the steps of the plane getting some fresh air. I've no idea what time we will leave from here," he wrote.