VARANASI: Low visibility disrupted arrivals at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Babatpur on Monday, November 2, 2026, with two incoming IndiGo services diverted to Lucknow and a Buddha Air service returning to Kathmandu. The disruption affected passengers travelling from Bengaluru, Delhi and Kathmandu, as well as residents waiting to receive them in Varanasi.
The three affected services were IndiGo 6E 6558 from Bengaluru, IndiGo 6E 6246 from Delhi and Buddha Air U4 161 from Kathmandu, according to two local reports published on Monday evening. Conditions later improved and the flights returned to Varanasi. Individual return landing times differ between the accounts, so passengers should obtain their own service's confirmed status from the airline.
For a journey on Tuesday, November 3, check the travel date and flight details before leaving for Babatpur. Monday's diversion report describes a completed disruption; it does not establish that the same flights are cancelled or diverted on Tuesday. People arranging an airport pickup should use the revised arrival information rather than the original timetable.
How Monday's arrivals were affected
The Bengaluru service, 6E 6558, left its origin at about 4:30 am IST and reached Varanasi airspace at around 6:40 am, both reports said. Landing permission was withheld because visibility was inadequate. After approximately 20 minutes in the air near Varanasi, the crew coordinated with Lucknow and the flight was diverted there.
The Delhi service, 6E 6246, departed at about 5:25 am IST and approached Varanasi at around 6:50 am. It also remained airborne before being sent to Lucknow. These were separate arrivals from different cities, although both used the same alternative airport during the morning disruption.
The Kathmandu service, U4 161, had left at about 7:04 am IST. It remained airborne for approximately 50 minutes while conditions at Varanasi prevented landing, then returned to Kathmandu. This flight's diversion destination was therefore different from that of the two domestic services.
| Service on November 2 | Origin | Diversion destination |
|---|---|---|
| IndiGo 6E 6558 | Bengaluru | Lucknow |
| IndiGo 6E 6246 | Delhi | Lucknow |
| Buddha Air U4 161 | Kathmandu | Kathmandu |
The common confirmed account is that the flights subsequently reached Varanasi after the weather improved. The reports do not provide a consistent minute by minute recovery sequence. No precise landing time for an individual returning aircraft is being treated here as a current passenger advisory.
What residents should do
IndiGo's official flight status page lets passengers check domestic and international services. Its instructions ask for the date of travel and the PNR or booking reference. Enter the details for the actual booking, then use the search function to retrieve the flight information.
The airline says schedule changes are communicated to the contact details registered with the booking. Travellers should check those messages as well as the status page when planning when to leave home. The same official page explains that live status information can help with airport departure planning and onward connections.
For bookings that qualify, IndiGo's Plan B policy offers rebooking or a refund without an additional charge. Its eligibility list covers cancellations, departures brought forward by at least one hour and departures postponed by at least two hours. Check the booking's eligibility through the official service before choosing an option; the airline says later changes after using Plan B can attract its applicable charges.
For passengers on the Kathmandu service, seek the revised itinerary and onward travel instructions from Buddha Air. A domestic diversion to Lucknow and a return to an international origin create different practical arrangements. Relatives should establish where the passenger is before arranging collection or another connection.
Airport information and onward plans
The Airports Authority of India's Varanasi airport page identifies the airport at Babatpur and lists 0542 2622155 for the airport office. It also links passenger information, transport information, airport contacts and grievance services. The institutional page supplies airport information; the operating airline remains the source for an individual booking's revised itinerary.
Residents planning onward journeys can consult the earlier Rajatalab MEMU service report and local rail links report. For background on local road access, see the Lahartara and Manduadih corridor report. These describe separate services and earlier road conditions, rather than a guaranteed connection after a delayed flight.
