No take-offs, no landings: Mumbai airport shuts down runways for maintenance

Mumbai: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai will pause all flight operations on May 7, 2026, for a scheduled six-hour window to conduct critical pre-monsoon maintenance work across its airside infrastructure.

The suspension will take place between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm, during which both runways, 09/27 and 14/32, will remain closed. The airport will be completely non-operational for arrivals and departures during this period.

The decision has been taken as part of the airport’s annual monsoon contingency planning, aimed at ensuring runway safety and operational resilience during Mumbai’s heavy rainy season. The maintenance work is being carried out by Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), which manages the facility.

Officials stated that the maintenance window was planned well in advance, with stakeholder consultations initiated around six months earlier. Airlines and aviation partners were informed early to allow schedule adjustments and minimise passenger disruption.

The airport management highlighted that the maintenance is essential for preserving the durability and safety of the 1,033-acre airside infrastructure, which handles high traffic volumes as one of the busiest aviation hubs in the country.

Earlier disruptions at Mumbai airport underline the operational sensitivity of the facility. On March 3, 107 air traffic movements were cancelled due to wider geopolitical tensions affecting West Asia routes. A separate disruption on March 8 saw 66 cancellations, including both arrivals and departures, leading to passenger delays and schedule changes.

While the May 7 shutdown is pre-planned and significantly shorter in duration, passengers are expected to experience schedule adjustments as airlines reschedule flights around the maintenance window.
(With IANS inputs)