Fog cancelled your flight? Here are your actual DGCA rights in winter 2026
By Ishaani Reddy (Ishaani Reddy writes about the consumer-protection side of travel — DGCA passenger rights, OTA refund policies, hidden fees, dynamic-currency-conversion traps and the seven kinds of booking mistakes that quietly drain Indian travel budgets.) · Published · 11 min read
When fog shuts down Delhi, Amritsar or Lucknow airports in December and January, airlines invoke 'extraordinary circumstances' to avoid paying compensation — but they still owe you meals, rebooking and a full refund if you choose not to travel. Here is exactly what you are owed and what you are not.
TL;DR — what you are actually owed when fog cancels your flight
Under DGCA's Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) Section 3, Series M Part IV, fog is treated as an extraordinary circumstance — meaning airlines are not required to pay the denied-boarding style cash compensation (which can go up to ₹20,000). But the airline is still required to offer you: (a) meals and refreshments proportionate to the delay, (b) hotel accommodation and transfers if the delay extends overnight, and (c) a full refund of your ticket — or rebooking on the next available flight — if you choose not to travel. Knowing this distinction saves you hours of fruitless arguments at the counter.
Which airports are worst for winter fog delays in India?
If you fly in and out of northern India between mid-November and early February, fog is a routine, not an exception. The airports most affected:
- Indira Gandhi International (DEL): The Cat IIIB ILS capability on runways 29L and 10 means DEL handles fog better than most, but sustained dense fog (visibility under 125m) still causes ground stops. Morning slots (5 AM–9 AM) are the highest-risk departure window.
- Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International, Amritsar (ATQ): No Cat III ILS — even moderate fog (visibility under 550m) can ground all flights. Amritsar-DEL-Amritsar sectors are frequently cancelled entirely during severe fog.
- Chaudhary Charan Singh International, Lucknow (LKO): Similar Cat I/II limitations. Winter mornings in January regularly see 1–3 hour delays becoming full cancellations.
- Varanasi (VNS), Chandigarh (IXC), Patna (PAT), Gorakhpur (GOP): All have limited ILS equipment — these smaller northern airports often suspend operations entirely in dense fog even while DEL keeps running.
If you are travelling through any of these airports between December and February, check the DGCA AirSuvidhaa portal (airsuvidhaa.dgca.gov.in) for delay advisories and build generous connection buffers into your itinerary. For connecting flights, the same-PNR vs split-PNR distinction matters enormously — see our article on missed connections in India for the full picture.
What compensation is the airline legally required to give you during fog delays?
DGCA's CAR rules on passenger rights distinguish between what the airline controls (tech faults, crew issues, late aircraft) and extraordinary circumstances (weather, ATC restrictions, security alerts, bird strikes). Fog falls firmly into extraordinary circumstances — airlines will invoke this quickly and correctly.
What this means practically:
- Cash compensation for the delay itself: Not owed. The ₹5,000–₹10,000 delay compensation some passengers claim to have received was often given voluntarily or was actually denied-boarding compensation from a different situation — fog delay does not trigger it.
- Meals and refreshments: Owed. The DGCA mandates 'meals/refreshments in relation to the waiting time' — in practice, this usually means a meal voucher for delays of 2 hours or more. Airlines are often slow to distribute these at smaller airports; ask the ground staff directly and be firm that this is a CAR entitlement, not a favour.
- Hotel and transfers: Owed if delay extends to next day. If your flight is cancelled and no alternative can be arranged on the same day, the airline must provide hotel accommodation and transfers. This is non-negotiable. Carry receipts if you pay for it yourself — you can claim reimbursement, though getting it back from the airline can take persistence.
- Full refund: Owed. If the airline cancels your flight and you choose not to travel, you are entitled to a full refund of your ticket fare. The airline cannot charge a cancellation fee for a flight it cancelled — regardless of whether fog was the cause.
- Rebooking: Owed. You can ask to be rebooked on the next available flight to your destination at no extra charge. The airline should accommodate you — if it's full, they must still put you on their waitlist or a partner carrier's flight at the original fare.
What force majeure means — and what it does not cover
'Force majeure' and 'extraordinary circumstances' are phrases airlines drop immediately when weather is involved. Here is what that actually means for your rights:
Force majeure removes the obligation for cash delay/cancellation compensation — the ₹20,000 denied-boarding payment style amounts. Airlines are legally protected from that exposure when fog grounds their aircraft. They cannot control the weather, and the law recognises this.
Force majeure does NOT remove the duty of care. Meals, hotel, transfers, refunds and rebooking remain mandatory regardless of the cause. Airlines sometimes act as if citing extraordinary circumstances absolves them of everything — it does not. I have seen IndiGo and SpiceJet ground staff at Lucknow tell passengers there is 'nothing they can do' about accommodation, which is simply incorrect. The DGCA CAR Section 3 Series M Part IV is explicit: duty of care (meals, hotel, communication facilities) remains in force even for weather cancellations.
One more thing: airlines must inform you of cancellations within defined windows. If the airline knew about the fog-related cancellation more than 24 hours in advance (not unusual when a heavy fog warning has been issued), and they notified you less than two weeks before departure, you may still have a stronger claim. The exact timelines and thresholds are in the CAR — the DGCA website (dgca.gov.in) publishes the full text.
How to actually claim what you are owed at the airport
The airport counter is not always the friendliest place to assert rights. Here is a practical sequence:
- Go to the airline's own counter, not the OTA helpline. If you booked through MakeMyTrip or ixigo, the refund will still go through them — but claims for duty of care (meals, hotel) must be made to the airline's ground staff directly at the airport. The OTA cannot issue a meal voucher.
- Ask for the supervisor in writing. Ground staff can escalate duty-of-care requests to the airport duty manager. The words 'DGCA CAR Section 3 Series M' spoken calmly tend to change the tone of the conversation.
- Document everything. Note the time of the cancellation announcement, screenshot the flight status, keep any meal vouchers. If you pay for a hotel yourself, keep all receipts.
- File on DGCA AirSuvidhaa within 30 days if your meal or hotel entitlement was refused. The portal (airsuvidhaa.dgca.gov.in) allows you to lodge a complaint against a specific airline — they are required to respond.
- For refund delays post-fog-cancellation, refer to the OTA escalation steps in our article on OTA refund timelines. Fog cancellations are among the scenarios where refunds are cleanest — no airline can deduct cancellation fees from a flight it cancelled.
Practical tips for fog-season travel from northern India
Prevention is easier than claiming rights at 3 AM in a chaotic terminal:
- Book the earliest morning slot with care. 6 AM–8 AM departures from DEL or ATQ in January are the highest-risk for fog delays. If your schedule allows, a 10 AM or later departure gives the fog time to lift.
- Avoid single-runway regional airports as connection points. Building your itinerary around Lucknow, Varanasi or Chandigarh as a transit point in winter is asking for trouble. Connect via DEL or BOM instead.
- Buy refundable or flexible fares on fog-season routes. Fully flexible fares cost more upfront but avoid the 14-day refund wait if a winter cancellation disrupts your plan. Compare fare classes using FlightGPT's AI search to see whether the flexibility premium is worth it on your specific route and dates.
- Check Cat III ILS capability before booking. Airports with Cat IIIB ILS (DEL, BOM, CCU, MAA) handle fog significantly better. For a critical journey, routing through a Cat III airport as your connection hub reduces risk.
- Travel insurance: DGCA rights cover duty of care, not your hotel for the night because your destination wedding is tomorrow. Travel insurance that covers trip delay is worth the premium for fog-season travel to the north.
Use FlightGPT to compare flexible fare options across IndiGo, Air India, Akasa Air and Air India Express on your route — sometimes the refundable fare on one carrier is cheaper than the non-refundable on another.
Frequently asked questions
Am I entitled to cash compensation when fog delays my flight in India?
No. Under DGCA's CAR Section 3 Series M Part IV, fog qualifies as an extraordinary circumstance — airlines are not required to pay the cash compensation (up to ₹20,000) that applies to denied boarding or controllable cancellations. However, you are still owed meals, hotel accommodation (for overnight delays), rebooking or a full refund.
Can the airline refuse to give me a full refund if fog cancelled my flight?
No. If the airline cancels your flight for any reason — including fog — and you choose not to travel, you are entitled to a full refund of the ticket fare. The airline cannot deduct cancellation fees for a flight it cancelled. File on DGCA AirSuvidhaa (airsuvidhaa.dgca.gov.in) if this is refused.
Which airports in India are most affected by winter fog delays?
Amritsar (ATQ), Lucknow (LKO), Varanasi (VNS), Chandigarh (IXC) and Patna (PAT) are the most vulnerable — all have limited ILS equipment. Delhi (DEL) has Cat IIIB ILS and handles fog better, though severe fog (visibility under 125m) can still cause ground stops there.
What do I do if the airline refuses to give me a hotel during an overnight fog cancellation?
Demand it in writing from the duty manager, citing DGCA CAR Section 3 Series M. If they still refuse, pay for the hotel yourself (keep all receipts), file a complaint on DGCA AirSuvidhaa within 30 days, and claim reimbursement. Document the refusal — time, name of staff, counter number.
Does booking through MakeMyTrip or ixigo affect my DGCA rights for a fog cancellation?
No — your DGCA rights are with the airline regardless of where you booked. The OTA processes your refund, but duty-of-care claims (meals, hotel, rebooking) must be made to the airline's ground staff at the airport directly. The OTA cannot issue a meal voucher or arrange hotel accommodation on behalf of the airline.
How much notice must an airline give before cancelling a fog-affected flight?
DGCA CAR specifies notification windows — airlines should inform passengers of cancellations as early as possible. If they knew about a fog advisory 24 hours ahead and notified you less than 24 hours before departure, you have grounds to push harder on your duty-of-care entitlements. Check the exact thresholds on the DGCA website (dgca.gov.in) as these are updated periodically.