Bengaluru and Mumbai airports to partially shut down in February
Starting today, nearly 5,000 flights at Mumbai airport are being cancelled till March end for six hours on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays between 7 February and 30 March 2019. The planned closure at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport is for airport re-carpeting and relaying the two cross runways that happens typically every six-seven years.
The Mumbai airport will be shut for six hours (11 am to 5 pm) on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. All flights, domestic and international during this period have been cancelled. However, the airport will be fully functional on March 21 and will operate full day as usual. On an average, 230 flights will be cancelled on each of these days, leading to over 4,800 cancellations till the end of March. Morning flights that are delayed and can’t take off or land before 11 am may be grounded or diverted, as the case may be.
Some of the airlines have already rescheduled flights, even advancing their departures to make the deadline. Since the priority is given to international flights for take-offs and landing, there will be delays in domestic flights.
Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport is also going to be shut for a few hours for 11 days due to Aero India Show. Airspace around the city will shut for a few hours between 14 and 24 February for the Aero India 2019 airshow and its rehearsals.
The schedule of the Bengaluru airport:
- 14 February to 17 February from 1.30 pm-4.30 pm
- 18 February to 19 February from 10 am-12 pm and 2 pm-5 pm
- 20 February from 9 am-12 pm and 2 pm-5 pm
- February 21 to 24 from 10 am-12 pm and 2 pm-7 pm
The closure of these two airports could mean higher airfares and potential delays on these dates. It is always better to check with your airline if your flying on these dates.