Cyclone Arnab Halts Flights Across Andhra Pradesh Coast; Air India, IndiGo Cancel Services

India's Ministry of Civil Aviation convened a review meeting on October 28 as Cyclonic Storm Arnab tracked toward the Andhra Pradesh coast, with Visakhapatnam airport shut since the afternoon of October 27 and cancellations already numbering at least 20 across Air India and Air India Express.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD, the national weather agency) forecasts the system will intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast on October 28, packing winds of 125–135 kmph and gusts reaching 150 kmph. The Ministry said flights to and from coastal Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha, including Bhubaneswar, are expected to bear the brunt. Hyderabad, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Gorakhpur may see knock-on delays depending on the storm's track.

What does the disruption look like on the ground?

The cancellations and suspensions, as of October 28:

• Visakhapatnam: operations suspended since the afternoon of October 27.
• Vijayawada and Rajahmundry: all flights suspended after 7 pm on October 27.
• Delhi–Bhogapuram–Delhi: service cancelled on October 28.

Air India has cancelled six flights on the Delhi–Visakhapatnam route scheduled for October 27 and the Delhi–Vijayawada–Delhi sector for October 28. "In view of the continuing adverse weather conditions associated with Tropical Cyclone Arnab, flight operations to and from Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam may be affected on 28 October," the carrier said in a travel advisory, directing passengers to its flight-status page.

Air India Express reported 13 cancellations, primarily on Visakhapatnam services connecting Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Vijayawada. The budget carrier also scrapped its Varanasi–Bangkok and Bangkok–Visakhapatnam flights, extending the disruption beyond domestic routes.

IndiGo suspended all operations at Visakhapatnam along with Vijayawada and Rajahmundry services after 7 pm on October 27; the airline's official cancellation figures remained provisional. Akasa Air cancelled its Delhi–Bhogapuram and return services for October 28 while confirming all other flights should operate normally. Alliance Air reported no cancellations and continues normal operations across its network.

What does this change for passengers?

The Ministry directed airlines to follow operational guidelines on adverse weather, inform passengers of delays and cancellations promptly, and comply with re-booking and refund norms. Passengers should check flight status on airline websites, apps, helplines or SMS before leaving for the airport, and should not travel unless their flight is confirmed.

The advisory carries practical weight beyond the terminal. Waterlogging and road closures are likely in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, and passengers must factor in extra travel time. The Civil Aviation Secretary advised airlines and airport operators to extend support to senior citizens, persons with reduced mobility, parents with infants and medical cases.

For unresolved complaints, the Ministry set a two-step escalation path: raise the issue with the airline first, then through the AirSewa portal or app.

Coordination and next steps

The Ministry stressed inter-agency coordination among the Airports Authority of India (AAI, the state airport operator), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA, the safety regulator), the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the IMD, airline and airport operators, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and disaster management authorities of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal.

The Ministry reiterated that safety remains the first priority and said it will keep issuing updates as conditions change, leaving the pace of restoration at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Rajahmundry dependent on post-landfall damage assessment.