Mumbai airport's primary runway closure may delay your flight

Fliers, listen up. Before leaving for the airport, check with the airline if your flight is set to take off at the scheduled time.

The closure of operations at Mumbai airport’s primary runway from November 7 to May 2014 for a fixed period during the day may result in many domestic flights getting delayed and also in certain destinations getting clubbed together. International flights, however, won’t be affected as they mainly operate at night.

However, a Mumbai International Airport Limited spokesperson said domestic operations won’t be affected much, even on days when maintenance will take place.

The primary runway at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport will remain shut between 9am and 5pm for the installation of two rapid-exit taxiways. These will help the aircraft in moving away to the sides faster after landing and, subsequently, ease the congestion at the airport, sources said.

Sources from the Air Navigation System division said flight operations are likely to get affected when the wind is not favourable as the secondary runway has just one instrument landing system (ILS). The primary runway has ILS on both sides. “Therefore, in case the secondary runway’s ILS develops a problem, flight movement will surely get affected,” a source said.

Airport sources said the arrangement is likely to have an effect on the functioning of Juhu airport.
That’s because when Mumbai airport operations are happening from the secondary runway, Juhu airport has to operate from its secondary runway, which is in a poor condition, riddled with potholes and unfit for flying.