Heavy rains pummelled Mumbai early Monday, causing major headaches for air travellers. Downpours and low visibility forced Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to suspend runway operations from 2:22 AM to 3:40 AM, impacting dozens of flights.
The adverse weather conditions led to the diversion of 27 flights to nearby cities such as Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Indore. Additionally, 51 flights were cancelled, including 42 IndiGo flights, six Air India flights, and others from various airlines.
In light of the inclement weather and forecast of heavy to very heavy rains, #MumbaiAirport advises all the passengers to check their flight status with their respective airlines and leave for the airport a little earlier. #PassengerAdvisory #GatewayToGoodness #Travel #Safety pic.twitter.com/pIRK52MRFr
— CSMIA (@CSMIA_Official) July 8, 2024
Major carriers like IndiGo and Vistara issued travel advisories, urging passengers to allow extra time for their journey to the airport. They also offered options for alternate flights or full refunds to affected travellers.
Airport officials stated that priority is currently being given to arriving flights, resulting in further delays for departures. The situation has caused a ripple effect on the airport’s usual handling capacity of about 870 daily scheduled flights.
