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- Mumbai airport runway operations suspended due to heavy rains.
- Safety shutdown lasted one hour amidst strong winds.
- Flight schedules severely affected, causing widespread delays, cancellations.
Heavy rainfall and powerful winds brought operations at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to a temporary halt on Sunday, causing widespread disruption for thousands of passengers. Authorities suspended runway activities for an hour after strong gusts and poor visibility made flying conditions difficult. Several incoming and outgoing flights were delayed, with live tracking data showing a major impact on schedules. Airport officials said the temporary shutdown was a safety measure and operations resumed after weather conditions improved later in the day.
Runway Shut For Safety
Runway operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were suspended between 10.17 am and 11.17 am after Mumbai was hit by intense rain and strong winds.
Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) said the decision was taken after adverse weather conditions, including wind speeds of up to 42 knots and reduced visibility, affected safe runway operations.
“As per procedure, runway operations were temporarily suspended to ensure the safety of passengers, aircraft and ground personnel,” the airport operator said.
Normal services resumed after an hour once visibility improved and weather conditions became suitable for aircraft movement.
Passengers Face Long Delays
The disruption led to major delays across flight schedules. According to flight-tracking platform Flightradar24, around 87 per cent of departures from Mumbai airport faced delays, while 62 per cent of arriving flights were running late.
Passengers experienced an average departure delay of nearly 75 minutes, while arriving aircraft were delayed by at least 28 minutes. Data also showed that nearly 3 per cent of Mumbai-bound flights were cancelled because of the weather disruption.
The airport operator did not disclose the exact number of affected or cancelled flights.
Also Read: Mumbai Rains: 63-Year-Old Man Killed After Tree Falls On Shop In Kurla
Weather Disrupts Busy Hub
Mumbai airport is among India’s busiest aviation hubs, handling nearly 980 to 1,000 flights every day. Air Traffic Control sources said the airport usually manages about 48 aircraft movements per hour, including around 24 arrivals and 24 departures.
Officials said flight schedules were gradually restored after runway operations restarted, although knock-on delays continued because of the morning disruption.
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