Nearly 100 flights were cancelled and 95 delayed at the Calcutta airport on Tuesday, leaving thousands of passengers stranded as torrential rain battered the city from midnight.

According to airport officials, 42 arriving flights and 49 departures were cancelled, while 33 arrivals and 62 departures faced delays, many stretching into late evening. Several flights were grounded as pilots and crew members couldn’t reach the airport on time due to waterlogged roads.

“The heavy rain since midnight forced cancellations and delays in the morning. Later, the cascading effect and stranded crew led to further disruption,” said an airport official.

Many passengers missed their flights despite delays, unable to make it through flooded streets. Airlines and airport counters were inundated with calls and requests to reschedule flights, with long queues forming near Gate 3C of the departure level as passengers sought refunds or new bookings.

Sharmin Akhtar, a student from Agartala, had a 6.45pm IndiGo flight home for the Puja holidays. “Because of the waterlogging, I left my home in Howrah early, but after reaching the airport, I was told the flight had been cancelled,” she said. IndiGo rescheduled her for Wednesday. “But I’ll have to stay overnight at the airport, it’s impossible to return home, my neighbourhood is completely waterlogged.”

A Salt Lake resident headed for Salem via Chennaiwas forced to abandon his trip on Tuesday. His 11.30am flight to Chennai was delayed by over two hours, making it impossible to catch the connecting flight. He returned home and was rebooked for Wednesday.

Pictures of waterlogged taxiways at the airport circulated on social media, further highlighting the chaos. Airlines issued public advisories throughout the day, warning passengers of traffic disruptions in the city.

“Kolkata travellers! Due to today’s downpour, several roads across #Kolkata are currently blocked or experiencing slow movement,” IndiGo posted on X. “Please allow extra time, take an alternate route if possible, and check your flight status on our website or app.”

Airport authorities said operations remained affected till late evening.