Image Source: PTI
Heavy rainfall in Mumbai has caused significant disruptions across all modes of transportation, including road, rail, and air travel. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai had to temporarily suspend its operations due to the adverse weather conditions. This suspension led to the diversion of numerous flights and the cancellation of over 50 others.
According to updates from the Mumbai airport authorities, runway operations were halted from 2:22 am to 3:40 am on Monday due to heavy rains and poor visibility. This forced 27 flights to be diverted to nearby airports during that period. By 11 am on Monday, a total of 51 flights to and from Mumbai had been cancelled, reflecting the severity of the weather’s impact on air travel operations.
Specific details from CSMIA indicated that IndiGo was the most affected airline, with 42 of its flights cancelled (22 arrivals and 20 departures), followed by 6 cancellations from Air India (3 arrivals and 3 departures), and 2 cancellations from Air India Express. Additionally, a Qatar Airways departure was cancelled due to an issue with Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) on Sunday night.
The disruption also resulted in flights scheduled to land in Mumbai being diverted to alternative airports such as Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Indore. Airport authorities prioritized the handling of incoming flights, which inevitably caused delays in departures as they adjusted operations to accommodate the diverted aircraft.
In response to these developments, CSMIA and various airlines issued travel advisories advising passengers to check the status of their flights in advance. They recommended passengers affected by the weather-related disruptions to arrive at the airport earlier than usual. These advisories were crucial in managing passenger expectations and minimizing inconvenience during this period of operational challenges caused by the heavy rains in Mumbai.
