Heavy rain at Kempegowda International Airport diverts 15 flights and delays dozens
Heavy rains and thunderstorms over the weekend caused widespread flight disruptions at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, forcing at least 15 flights to divert and delaying more than 36 others. The severe weather conditions led to poor visibility, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded and disrupting schedules at India's second busiest airport.
According to April 2026 data, the Bengaluru airport handled 3.17 million domestic passengers, making it busier than Mumbai Airport, which recorded 2.89 million passengers in the same period. However, the weekend storm completely disrupted these high-volume operations, drawing frustration from travelers who experienced lengthy delays.
Several affected passengers took to social media to express their anger over the delays and lack of communication. One traveler on Air India Express flight IX2913 reported that their flight was delayed by over two-and-a-half hours. The passenger alleged that the airline only communicated the delay after they had already begun traveling to the airport, and further claimed that an airport lounge denied them entry despite the delay, citing access timing restrictions.
Singer Ananya Bhat also shared her stressful experience after her Bengaluru-to-Chennai flight was delayed for nearly six hours on Saturday. Bhat was traveling to Chennai for a concert scheduled for Sunday with Ilaiyaraaja.
According to Bhat, the flight was initially held up due to the rain, but passengers were later informed of a technical issue after boarding and reaching the runway. The flight, originally scheduled to depart at 5:15 p.m., did not take off until 11:15 p.m.
Bhat criticized the lack of communication from airport and airline staff during the ordeal. "The flight was supposed to leave at 5.15 pm but finally took off only at 11.15 pm. Some passengers got anxious because there were no proper updates," she said, noting that she could have driven to Chennai by road in five hours if she had received clear information.
The storm's impact on aviation also had knock-on effects for sports teams, delaying the Gujarat Titans' arrival in Ahmedabad for their clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
