Cyclone Arnab cancels 21 flights at Vizag, Vijayawada airports on Tuesday
Synopsis
Cyclone Arnab has grounded 21 flights across Vizag and Vijayawada airports on Tuesday, with landfall looming on Wednesday. The Airports Authority of India has convened an emergency preparedness review, and Air India has issued advisories — signalling that disruptions to coastal Andhra Pradesh's air connectivity are far from over.
Key Takeaways
Cyclone Arnab , a very severe cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal , disrupted air travel in Andhra Pradesh on 27 October 2026 .
16 flights were cancelled at Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport , Bhogapuram, affecting routes to Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata , and others.
5 flights were cancelled at Gannavaram Airport , Vijayawada, including services to Chennai, Hyderabad , and Bengaluru .
Air India and Air India Express issued formal weather advisories urging passengers to check flight status online.
The Airports Authority of India , chaired by Puneet Kansal , held an emergency review meeting covering 9 airports in the impact zone.
Cyclone Arnab is set to cross the coast on Wednesday , with further cancellations expected.
Very severe cyclonic storm Arnab, churning in the Bay of Bengal, has disrupted air travel across Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, 27 October, forcing airlines to cancel at least 21 flights at two major airports as heavy rains and gusty winds batter the coastal region. The cyclone is expected to cross the coast on Wednesday, raising the likelihood of further cancellations.
Flight Cancellations at Bhogapuram and Vijayawada
A total of 16 flights scheduled to operate from Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram near Visakhapatnam were cancelled on Tuesday. Affected routes include services to Delhi, Hyderabad, Kurnool, Tirupati, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Chennai.
At Gannavaram Airport in Vijayawada, five flights were cancelled, with routes to Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kadapa, and Bhogapuram among those axed. All cancellations were taken as a precautionary measure in view of the deteriorating weather conditions.
Airline Advisories Issued
Air India and Air India Express both issued advisories warning that weather conditions associated with Tropical Cyclone Arnab may impact flights to and from Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada on 27 October. Passengers were advised to check their flight status on the respective airline websites before leaving for the airport.
Authorities have also cautioned that road travel to airports may be affected due to inclement weather, urging passengers to allow additional travel time. Travellers requiring rebooking or refunds have been asked to contact their airlines directly.
Airports Authority of India Reviews Preparedness
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) convened an emergency review meeting to assess preparedness at all airports in Cyclone Arnab's potential impact zone. The meeting was chaired by AAI Chairman Puneet Kansal and attended by Regional Executive Directors of the Eastern Region and Southern Region, along with Airport Directors from Kolkata, Chennai, Tirupati, Raipur, Kadapa, Bhubaneswar, Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, and Jharsuguda. Air traffic control in-charges from Bhogapuram and Hyderabad also participated.
The meeting focused on ensuring readiness to address possible disruptions to civil aircraft operations across the affected region.
What to Expect Next
With Cyclone Arnab set to make landfall on Wednesday, aviation authorities have signalled that further disruptions are likely. Passengers travelling to or from coastal Andhra Pradesh over the next 24–48 hours are strongly advised to confirm their flight status with their carrier before heading to the airport. This is the latest in a series of cyclonic weather events that have periodically disrupted air connectivity in the Bay of Bengal coastal belt during the northeast monsoon season.
Point of View
With limited redundancy in connectivity when two key gateways go offline simultaneously. The AAI's emergency review meeting is the right step, but the real question is whether India's newer airports — including the recently commissioned Bhogapuram facility — have been engineered with cyclone-resilient operations protocols, not just physical hardening. With northeast monsoon cyclones becoming more frequent and intense, ad hoc flight cancellations should give way to pre-published contingency frameworks that give passengers and carriers earlier visibility.
NationPress
27 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many flights have been cancelled due to Cyclone Arnab at Vizag and Vijayawada?
A total of 21 flights have been cancelled — 16 at Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport in Bhogapuram near Visakhapatnam, and 5 at Gannavaram Airport in Vijayawada — on Tuesday, 27 October, as a precautionary measure against the cyclone's impact.
Which routes and airlines are affected by Cyclone Arnab flight cancellations?
Cancelled routes from Bhogapuram include services to Delhi, Hyderabad, Kurnool, Tirupati, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Chennai. From Vijayawada, flights to Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kadapa, and Bhogapuram were cancelled. Air India and Air India Express are among the carriers that have issued formal advisories.
When is Cyclone Arnab expected to make landfall?
Cyclone Arnab is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast on Wednesday, 28 October. Authorities have warned that further flight cancellations are likely as the storm approaches landfall.
What should passengers do if their flight is cancelled due to Cyclone Arnab?
Passengers are advised to check their flight status directly on their airline's website before heading to the airport. Those needing to reschedule or claim refunds should contact their airline directly. Travellers are also advised to allow extra travel time, as road conditions may be affected by heavy rain and strong winds.
What steps has the Airports Authority of India taken in response to Cyclone Arnab?
The Airports Authority of India held an emergency review meeting chaired by Chairman Puneet Kansal to assess preparedness at airports in the cyclone's impact zone. The meeting covered nine airports including Kolkata, Chennai, Vijayawada, Bhubaneswar, and Rajahmundry, and focused on ensuring readiness to handle disruptions to civil aircraft operations.
