Mumbai airport closure alert: 6-hr shutdown on May 8, airlines warn travellers

Flight operations at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) will be suspended for six hours on Thursday, May 8, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has scheduled its annual pre-monsoon runway maintenance on May 8, 2025, from 1100 hrs to 1700 hrs. Both the primary runway 09/27 and secondary runway 14/32 will be temporarily non-operational during this period.

The Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) has officially announced that the primary (09/27) and secondary (14/32) runways will be temporarily closed during this period, as stated in their official statement.

"Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has scheduled its annual pre-monsoon runway maintenance on 8 May 2025, between 1100 hrs and 1700 hrs. During this time, both the primary runway 09/27 and secondary runway 14/32 will be temporarily non-operational. CSMIA has meticulously coordinated this maintenance with multiple stakeholders, including airlines and aviation authorities, to enable a seamless experience for passengers. This proactive approach reflects CSMIA’s commitment to safety, efficiency, and reliability in its operations," the notification read.

Several airlines have alerted passengers about potential inconvenience: 

SpiceJet stated, “Important Travel Update: Mumbai Airport runway will be closed on 8th May from 11 AM to 5 PM. This may affect your travel plans. Please check your flight status before heading to the airport,” SpiceJet said in a statement on the social media platform X.

Akasa Air has issued a travel advisory, stating that on May 8, 2025, a number of their flights to and from Mumbai have been impacted due to the closure of both runways at Mumbai Airport for pre-monsoon preventive maintenance.

Earlier in the day, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) released a public advisory advising passengers to verify their flight status before making their way to the airport. This announcement, communicated through the official CSMIA Twitter account (@CSMIA_Official) on Wednesday, was issued to reduce any inconvenience for travelers in light of potential disruptions in flight operations.

This precautionary measure was initiated in the wake of India's initiation of Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory mission following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22. As part of this operation, the Indian Armed Forces conducted targeted strikes on nine identified terrorist camps situated in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).