Cyclone Murasu disrupted air travel across Andhra Pradesh on Monday, with at least 19 domestic flights cancelled at Vijayawada, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam airports as the severe cyclonic storm approached the state’s coast.
The cancellations affected services operated by IndiGo and Air India Express. At Vijayawada Airport, director M Lakshmi Kantha Reddy said IndiGo cancelled 10 flights and Air India Express cancelled two. Four flights were cancelled at Visakhapatnam Airport, according to an official from the GMR Group.
At Tirupati Airport, director D Boominathan said IndiGo cancelled flights connecting the airport with Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Bengaluru. The cancellations disrupted air links between major urban centres in Andhra Pradesh and also affected connectivity with Bengaluru.
The Meteorological Department said Cyclone Murasu was expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narasapur during the intervening night of November 2 and 3. The forecast prompted transport disruptions as the storm moved towards the coastline.
The impact on air travel reflects the dependence of Andhra Pradesh’s urban transport network on airport operations that can be quickly affected by severe weather. Vijayawada, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam serve different passenger markets, including regional travel, connections to other Indian cities and access to major urban and pilgrimage centres.
The state is also facing widespread rainfall under the cyclone’s influence. The Meteorological Department’s forecast came as Andhra Pradesh was being affected by a second cyclone within a week, according to the report.
The cancellations announced on Monday were linked to the storm’s approach and involved multiple airports and airlines. Airport authorities and airline operators are expected to manage flight operations in line with weather conditions as Cyclone Murasu crosses the coast between Nellore and Narasapur.
