Heavy rain, strong winds and poor visibility forced Mumbai airport to suspend runway operations for an hour
July 5, 2026: Heavy rainfall and strong winds temporarily halted runway operations at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Sunday, disrupting flight schedules across the country. Airport authorities suspended operations for one hour after poor visibility and wind speeds of up to 42 knots made flying conditions unsafe. Officials said the precautionary measure was taken to ensure the safety of passengers, aircraft and ground staff before operations resumed once the weather improved.
The weather disruption caused significant delays for both arriving and departing flights. According to flight-tracking data, nearly 87 per cent of departures and 62 per cent of arrivals were delayed, while a small number of flights were cancelled. Departing passengers faced average delays of around 75 minutes, with arriving flights also running behind schedule.
Mumbai’s airport, one of India’s busiest aviation hubs, handles close to 1,000 flights daily and manages nearly 48 aircraft movements every hour. Although runway operations resumed after weather conditions stabilised, officials said flight schedules continued to be affected due to the ripple effect of the temporary shutdown, with normal operations being restored gradually.