Mumbai airport hit by rain: 4 flights cancelled, 13 diverted as runway operations suspended

Heavy rain and strong winds disrupted flight operations at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Sunday, leading to the temporary suspension of runway operations for about an hour. The adverse weather forced the cancellation of four IndiGo flights and diversion of 13 incoming aircraft operated by various airlines, sources said.

All 13 diverted flights were able to return and land safely in Mumbai after weather conditions improved, the sources added. The disruption also caused widespread delays across the airport. According to data from flight tracking website Flightradar24, approximately 90% of departing flights were delayed by an average of 65 minutes, while 45% of arriving flights were running behind schedule, causing significant inconvenience to passengers.

Mumbai International Airport, jointly operated by the Adani Group and the Airports Authority of India (AAI), stated that adverse weather had affected runway operations. 'At approximately 10.17 am, adverse weather conditions, including strong gusty winds of up to 42 knots and reduced visibility due to heavy rain, impacted runway operations.' In line with standard safety procedures, runway operations were 'temporarily suspended' to ensure the safety of passengers, aircraft, and ground personnel, the airport operator said. Normal operations resumed after about an hour as weather improved.

According to sources, the cancelled IndiGo services were flights 6E 395 (Delhi-Mumbai), 6E 5273 (Mumbai-Indore), 6E 552 (Indore-Mumbai), and 6E 6613 (Mumbai-Delhi). Responding to the disruption, IndiGo said it was closely monitoring the evolving weather situation. 'Bad weather over Delhi and Mumbai has impacted flight schedule. We are closely monitoring the weather... we request you that you stay updated on your flight status,' the airline posted on X. The airline did not specifically mention the four cancelled flights in its statement.

Air Traffic Control sources noted that Mumbai airport handles between 980 and 1,000 flights daily, averaging about 48 aircraft movements per hour (24 arrivals and 24 departures).