Mumbai: The main runway at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, which can handle at least 46 flights an hour, will be shut off for commercial flight operations between 9am and 5.30 pm from 1 November 2019 to 28 March 2020 due to re-carpeting work, a spokesperson of Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), which operates the CSIA said on Friday.
It can be noted that the Mumbai is the world’s busiest single-runway airport, handling close to 1,000 aircraft movements a day. Given the repair work at the intersection of the primary and secondary runways, the number of flights taking off and landing at the airport will likely decrease.
According to a Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) spokesperson, over 5,000 flights are expected to be cancelled or rescheduled. The intersections of both runways will be re-carpeted as well. Around 250 flights will be affected due to this six hour closure.
The Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru will remain shut later this month due to the biennial Aero India show.
Meanwhile, over 14 flights were diverted from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi between 6pm and 7pm due to bad weather. The flights have been diverted to Amritsar, Lucknow and Jaipur.
It also said the main runway will be available for operations on all Sundays as well as on December 25, January 1 and 15, February 19 and 21 and also on March 10 and 25.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) said that because of repairs, there will be changes in operating procedures, including changes in isolated aircraft parking position – in case of perceived threats – and bomb threat contingency plan. Pilots have been advised to ensure extra attention when taxiing near the work areas.
