NEW DELHI, October 28, 2026: Cyclone Arnab has disrupted air travel across Andhra Pradesh, forcing the suspension of flights serving Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Rajahmundry. Several airlines have cancelled services, while the Ministry of Civil Aviation has warned that the disruption could extend to southern Odisha and affect connecting flights in other parts of India.
The restrictions began on Tuesday, October 27, ahead of the cyclone’s landfall. According to the ministry, flight operations serving Visakhapatnam were suspended from the afternoon, while Vijayawada and Rajahmundry stopped all flights after 7 pm. The ministry’s statement, issued late Tuesday, did not specify when normal operations would resume.
Cyclone Arnab began crossing the Andhra Pradesh coast early Wednesday, October 28. The India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its 8.30 am update, placed the centre of the very severe cyclonic storm about 20 km east of Narsapur, with the landfall process nearing completion. The weather agency forecast sustained winds of 115–125 kmph, gusting to 140 kmph, over the landfall area, with wind speeds expected to gradually decrease.
The danger to aviation is not limited to heavy rainfall. Strong and rapidly changing winds can make aircraft take-offs and landings unsafe, while intense rain can reduce visibility and thunderstorms can disrupt airport ground operations. Flight suspensions are therefore a precautionary safety measure and do not necessarily mean that airport infrastructure has been damaged.
The disruption has affected services operated by several major airlines. According to the ministry’s October 27 update, Air India reported six cancellations across its Delhi–Visakhapatnam–Delhi services scheduled for October 27 and Delhi–Vijayawada–Delhi services scheduled for October 28.
Air India Express reported 13 cancellations, primarily involving flights connecting Visakhapatnam with Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Vijayawada. The affected services also included Varanasi–Bangkok and Bangkok–Visakhapatnam flights, showing how disruption around the cyclone-affected region can extend to routes beyond its immediate path.
IndiGo suspended all its flights serving Visakhapatnam, along with operations at Vijayawada and Rajahmundry after 7 pm on October 27. The ministry cautioned that the airline’s cancellation figures were provisional, meaning the final number of affected services had not yet been established.
Akasa Air cancelled its Delhi–Bhogapuram service and the return flight scheduled for October 28. At the time of the ministry’s update, its remaining flights were expected to operate. Alliance Air had reported no cancellations and was continuing normal operations.
An important distinction for passengers travelling to Visakhapatnam is that scheduled commercial flights now operate through Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram. The new airport took over the city’s VTZ airport code on August 17, 2026, when scheduled commercial services shifted from the old Visakhapatnam airport. Passengers should therefore check the airport details on their tickets as well as the latest status of their flights.
Although the immediate restrictions concern three Andhra Pradesh airport locations, the ministry expects services across coastal Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha, including Bhubaneswar, to face the greatest disruption. It has also identified Hyderabad, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Gorakhpur as cities where delays could occur depending on the cyclone’s movement.
Such delays do not necessarily indicate dangerous weather at every affected airport. Airline schedules are interconnected: an aircraft delayed or grounded at one airport may be unable to operate its next scheduled flight on time. Disruption can therefore spread across multiple routes even where local flying conditions remain suitable.
For passengers, the immediate concern is whether their particular flight is operating. The ministry has advised travellers to check their flight status directly through airline websites, mobile applications, helplines or SMS updates before leaving for the airport. It has specifically advised passengers against travelling unless their flight is confirmed.
Passengers in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have also been asked to allow additional travel time because waterlogging and road closures could affect access to airports. A confirmed flight does not necessarily mean the journey to the terminal will be free of disruption.
The ministry has directed airlines to keep passengers informed about cancellations and delays and comply with applicable rebooking and refund rules. Under India’s aviation passenger-protection framework, travellers whose flights are cancelled can seek a refund or alternative travel arrangements in accordance with the applicable conditions.
However, an important distinction applies to compensation. Under Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) rules, airlines are generally not required to pay additional financial compensation when cancellations result from extraordinary circumstances beyond their control, including severe weather. This does not remove their obligations concerning applicable refunds and alternative arrangements.
Airlines and airport operators have also been asked to provide additional assistance to senior citizens, passengers with reduced mobility, parents travelling with infants and people requiring medical support. Passengers unable to resolve a cancellation, rebooking or refund complaint with their airline can escalate it through the government’s AirSewa portal or mobile application.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has stressed coordination among airport authorities, aviation regulators, airlines, the weather department and disaster-response agencies as conditions change. For travellers, the key unresolved questions remain when the affected airports can safely restore normal operations and how many additional services may be disrupted. The ministry’s initial advisory did not establish a reopening schedule or a final cancellation tally.
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