Rain shuts Mumbai airport’s main runway; 55 flights diverted, 52 cancelled
02 Jul 2019
1
The Mumbai airport authorities closed the main runway after a SpiceJet flight coming in from Jaipur overshot the mark because of the heavy rainfall. It may take another 48 hours to restore operations at the runway, official sources said.
At least 55 flights, including 8 international flights and 42 domestic flights, were diverted from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSIA) in Mumbai after the city witnessed record downpour over the past four days.
Diversion of flights to and from Mumbai to Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, although did not affect operations at those airports, caused minor delays in flights. However, the shut-down of the main runway in Mumbai hit flights from these airports to and from Mumbai.
Flights to and from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were delayed by 35 minutes owing to heavy rain and low visibility said an official.
The Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) today tweeted that the main runway at the airport is not available and the secondary runway has been put in use.
A spokesperson for Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) said there were 13 go-arounds, and cancellations of 18 incoming flights, including four international and 24 departures.
Among the international flights that were diverted was a Korean Air flight from Seoul to Mumbai, a Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt and an Air India flight from Bangkok.
The relentless rains also affected train services with the Central Railways confirming that no suburban trains will run today.
The deaths of over 20 people in rain-related incidents across Mumbai and Pune also forced authorities to declare a public holiday on Monday.
