Heavy rains throw Mumbai air traffic out of gear

Heavy monsoon rains in Mumbai wreaked havoc on transportation, impacting not only roads and railways but also air travel. Operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) were significantly disrupted, leading to the diversion of 27 flights and the cancellation of over 50 others.

The primary cause of the disruption was heavy rainfall and low visibility, which forced the suspension of runway operations from 2:22 am to 3:40 am on Monday, August 7, 2024. Following the resumption of operations, CSMIA prioritized incoming flights, resulting in potential delays for departing passengers.
"The airport is currently working to accommodate the diverted flights and any additional schedule changes caused by the weather event," a CSMIA spokesperson said.

CSMIA has urged passengers to exercise caution and check their flight status directly with their airlines well in advance of their scheduled departure times. This can be done through airline websites or mobile apps. CSMIA posted on X previously known as Twitter advising passengers to consider leaving for the airport earlier than usual to account for potential delays caused by the ongoing weather conditions.

Separately, several airlines reported flight cancellations as of 11:00 AM on Monday. IndiGo (6E) was the most affected carrier, with 22 arriving flights and 20 departing flights grounded. Air India (AI) also saw cancellations, with 3 arrivals and 3 departures affected. SpiceJet (9I) reported one cancellation in each direction (arrival and departure). Additionally, Sunday's Qatar Airways (QR) flight QR 557 was unable to depart due to crew duty time limitations, according to sources.

The airlines didn't immediately respond to ET's emailed queries.