Bogi smoke in Chennai delays 19 flights

CHENNAI: Nineteen international and domestic flights to and from Chennai suffered delay today after dense smoke engulfed the airport region here following the burning of old articles on the occasion of Bogi festival.

Fourteen arriving and departing flights from and to various destinations including Muscat, Mauritius and Colombo were delayed by a maximum of two hours, airport officials said here.

While an international carrier from Dubai was diverted to Kochi, five domestic services including those to Bengaluru and Coimbatore were delayed as a result of the smoke hindering the view, officials added.

Bogi is celebrated a day ahead of the harvest festival (Pongal), where old and unwanted articles of the past year are burnt in a symbolic gesture to usher in the new aspects of life.