Leh, India

India's cold desert Leh-Ladakh is facing mass flight cancellations due to "too hot" weather. About a dozen flights have been cancelled as the mercury soared to almost 35 degree Celsius over the past week. This has left passengers stranded at the Leh Airport, with the country's low-cost carrier IndiGo blocking flight booking till July 31.

Advertisment

On Monday, IndiGo posted regarding reasons for the cancellation of flights and promised a refund for its users in a post on X. "High ground temperatures and runway restrictions in #Leh have necessitated the cancellation of all flights for today. If you wish to re-book or claim a refund, visit https://bit.ly/3MxSLeE We regret the inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding," the post read.

It is likely the first time that so many flights have been cancelled at Leh Airport due to high temperatures, according to one airport source quoted by the Times of India. “Last year, the temperature was not so high as to affect flights,” the official said.

High temperatures in Leh

Advertisment

Leh sits at an altitude of 11,000 feet and temperature here drops to as low as -20 degrees Celsius in the winter. But, this time the temperature is constantly hovering above the 30-degree Celsius mark. The India Meteorological Department reported temperature on Thursday (Jul 25) at 29.5 degrees Celsius, on Saturday at 32.5 degrees Celsius and on Sunday at 33.5 degrees Celsius.

Also read: Shinkun La tunnel: Indian PM Modi makes `first blast` of world`s highest tunnel in Ladakh - Top features

The mercury even touched 36 degrees Celsius in some areas, the Times of India reported.

Advertisment

Why flights don't operate in high temperatures in Leh?

Leh's Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport is one of the highest in the world. At high altitudes, air temperature as well as air pressure get decreased. Due to this, air molecules get expanded and overall air density gets decreased.

Also read: Indian Army rescues 80 people stranded amid snowfall in Ladakh

Due to reduced air density, oxygen level also drops in the air, which causes the aircraft engines to lose efficiency. In Leh, air pressure is naturally low. When temperature increases, the air density gets further reduced. It severely impedes the aircraft engines' performance. In extreme conditions, the engines may even fail to provide enough thrust to keep the plane afloat.

(With inputs from agencies)