Mumbai Airport Shuts Six Hours on November 20 for Essential Maintenance

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai will halt all flight operations for six hours on Thursday, November 20, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., as part of a scheduled maintenance program for its dual runways. The closure affects both the primary runway 9/27 and secondary runway 14/32, which together manage approximately 950 daily flights, underscoring the airport's status as India's second-busiest hub after Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), the operator, emphasized that the downtime is essential for conducting thorough inspections, surface repairs, and technical evaluations of critical infrastructure like lighting, markings, and drainage systems.

This planned shutdown comes amid CSMIA's ongoing efforts to uphold stringent safety protocols and international aviation benchmarks, particularly following recent incidents of runway incursions and operational glitches at major Indian airports. A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) was issued well in advance to alert airlines, air traffic controllers, and other stakeholders, enabling them to reschedule flights and reroute traffic proactively. While the exact number of impacted flights remains fluid based on airline adjustments, industry estimates suggest up to 200-250 departures and arrivals could be affected, with many shifted to early morning or evening slots.

Passengers are urged to check with their airlines for real-time updates on flight statuses, as delays or cancellations may ripple into the following day due to the high volume of traffic. MIAL has coordinated with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and civil aviation authorities to minimize disruptions, but travelers are advised to arrive at terminals with extra buffer time and monitor official channels like the CSMIA app or website. Ground transport and other airport services, including lounges and retail, are expected to operate normally during the window.

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The maintenance aligns with a broader push by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to enhance runway resilience across the network, especially during the winter fog season when visibility challenges amplify risks. Past closures at Mumbai, such as the 2023 four-hour shutdown for similar works, resulted in manageable diversions to nearby airports like Ahmedabad and Nagpur. Once complete, the upgrades are projected to boost operational efficiency and reduce future downtimes, reinforcing CSMIA's role as a vital gateway handling over 50 million passengers annually.

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