Three Airports Went Dark as Cyclone Arnab Crossed Andhra Pradesh

Cyclone Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast in the early hours of October 28, and flights at three airports in the state were suspended ahead of landfall. Visakhapatnam stopped operating on the afternoon of October 27, followed by Vijayawada and Rajahmundry after 7 p.m. IndiGo said flights at the affected airports remained disrupted on October 28, and no reopening time had been announced.

Provisional figures from India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation show the scale of the cancellations. Air India canceled six flights, including Delhi–Visakhapatnam and Delhi–Vijayawada in both directions. Air India Express canceled 13, mostly to or from Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Vijayawada, plus two Bangkok services. Akasa Air canceled its Delhi–Bhogapuram round trip on October 28.

The effects are expected to spread beyond Andhra Pradesh. Bhubaneswar and southern Odisha are forecast to be hit hardest, while Hyderabad, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Gorakhpur may see knock-on delays as aircraft and crews end up out of position. That ripple effect is typical of storms on India’s east coast, where a few closed airports can disrupt dozens of connecting itineraries.

Passengers with canceled flights are entitled to rebooking or refunds under the country’s rules. IndiGo says affected travelers can choose a refund or another flight through its Plan B option, and unresolved complaints can be raised on the AirSewa portal. If you are due to travel through the region in the next few days, check your airline’s app before heading to the airport and avoid tight connections.

Sources: Wego, AirSewa