Delhi, Mumbai runway closures to cause major travel disruption

Air travellers are being warned of major disruptions at India’s two biggest airport hubs over the coming months.

Both Delhi and Mumbai airports have scheduled temporary runway closures which will impact hundreds of flights.

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport will shut down one of its three runways for repairs for a 13-day period beginning November 15.

It will mean the cancellation of about 100 flights a day during the closure.

“These works are essential for safe aircraft operations and to avoid sudden disruption that causes greater impact due to time required for planning the logistics”, a Delhi airport spokesperson said.

At Mumbai, the disruption is likely to be worse as repairs are needed at a taxiway linking two runways, meaning the temporary closure of both.

Both runways will be closed for six hours a day on October 23 and then on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays between February 7 and March 30, 2019.

This will impact 276 flights a day the airport said.

Combined, the two airports handle about 2,000 flights a day.

source: Travel Mole