'Scary And Alarming': Difference In Air Quality Between Delhi And Vienna Visible From Plane In Viral Video

A dramatic video highlighting the contrast in air quality between Austria and Delhi has gone viral on social media. The footage, captured from an aeroplane window, shows the Indian capital covered in a thick, yellowish smog while Vienna's green and lush landscape is visible without any trace of pollution.

Shared by an Instagram user, the now-viral video titled 'Difference in air quality caprtured from plane', has reignited the discussion about the worsening Air Quality Index (AQI) in the Indian capital.

"What my phone captured when I was travelling in plane from Vienna, Austria to Delhi, India. Felt like travelling from 8K resolution to the blurred 90's camera quality due to high pollution during the winter months due to various reasons!!" the user captioned the video.

Check the Viral Video Here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lakshay Arora (@indian.in.austria)

Disclaimer: NDTV cannot independently verify the authenticity of the post.

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'Scary And Alarming'

As of the last update, the video had garnered over 4.3 million views and hundreds of comments as social media users said it was a scary and alarming situation that needed fixing.

"From 4K resolution to Mexican cowboy action movie filter," said one user, while another added: "Instead of acknowledging the problem, we indians take it on ego and get defensive, that's not gonna solve the issue."

A third commented: "Why are people getting triggered at just facts? Delhi is literally the most polluted city in the world at this point. Shouldn't we be happy it's being brought to light now."

A fourth said: "This is truly scary and alarming! I fail to understand why people are not taking it seriously here."

Delhi's Pollution Crisis

While most people assume pollution is a winter-specific phenomenon, data show that people are exposed to harmful pollutants throughout the year. According to CREA's (Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air) latest PM2.5 assessment for October 2025, Delhi ranked sixth among India's most polluted cities, recording an average PM2.5 concentration of 107 micrograms per cubic meter -three times higher than its September average.

The latest Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data revealed that air pollution was responsible for nearly 15 per cent of all deaths in Delhi in 2023, making it the city's single largest health risk.

The GBD analysis shows that deaths related to air pollution in Delhi rose from 15,786 in 2018 to 17,188 in 2023, even as authorities introduced several air quality management plans. Deaths linked to high blood pressure and diabetes also increased during the same period, but remained lower than those caused by air pollution.