How does smog due to Air Pollution lead to flight diversion? Explained in points

Flight Diversion Due to Smog, Smog Flights Diversion: Amid the rise in Air Quality Index (AQI) levels in India and its surrounding countries, people have been left to breathe in a toxic gas chamber. Apart from severely impacting people's health, the rise in Air Pollution in the last few days has also started to impact airline business. This can be understood by the fact that due to increasing pollution and low visibility in Amritsar, Punjab, the traffic of Sri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport was severely affected. On Monday, three flights landing at Amritsar Airport had to be diverted to Chandigarh due to poor visibility caused by smog. These flights included an international flight as well as two domestic flights. Now, the question arises how smog can impact an airline or how dense smog can lead to flight diversion? Below is what you need to know- 

1. As per Nat Geo, Smog is nothing but air pollution that reduces visibility. The word smog is derived from the mix of smoke and fog. The smoke usually came from burning coal. Smog was common in industrial areas and remains a familiar sight in some cities today.
2. On Saturday afternoon, the pollution level in Amritsar rose to 336 AQI. The air quality in Amritsar and its surrounding areas became very poor, due to which visibility has decreased drastically. Keeping in mind the safety of passengers, the airport authority decided to send these flights to Chandigarh.
3. As per reports, smog reduces visibility by scattering and absorbing light, which makes it harder to see colors, forms, and textures. As per APIS.UK, the growth of traffic emissions of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), "photochemical smog" has become more frequent. 
4. However, in India and its surrounding countries, many study suggests that farm fires contribute significantly to air pollution leading to smog. As per Pilot Mall, a flight must require a visibility of 3 statute miles, and a minimum cloud clearance of 1,000 feet above, 500 feet below, and 2,000 feet horizontal.
5. Notably, the grounding of flights and diversion of flights are not common phenomena. For instance, in February 2024, smog in Hanoi, Vietnam caused over 100 flights to be diverted or delayed.
6. In January 2024, smog caused by Bhogi pollution at Chennai airport led to the diversion of seven flights.