Mumbai Halts All Flights Nov 20 for Runway Work

Published on Nov 4, 2025, 8:28 am CST

4 min read

Key points

Mumbai will suspend all arrivals and departures on November 20 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. IST for annual post-monsoon runway maintenance
Both intersecting runways 09/27 and 14/32 will be non-operational and airlines were notified via NOTAM with schedules adjusted to avoid the window
Expect retimed long-haul departures and padded block times before and after the closure with domestic connections most exposed
Travelers on separate tickets should verify minimum connection times and ticket protection rules before traveling
Monitor your carrier's travel alerts page for any day-specific waivers that may be published closer to November 20

Mumbai, India, will pause all flight operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) on Thursday, November 20, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. IST while crews conduct routine post-monsoon runway maintenance. Both runways will be closed, and a NOTAM has gone out to airlines, which are adjusting schedules so no flights operate during the window. For travelers, that means shifting departures outside the six-hour pause, padding connections, and confirming ticket protection rules if itineraries change.

CSMIA's plan and why it matters

Airport operator MIAL says the annual work includes detailed inspections, surface repairs, and checks on lighting, markings, and drainage to keep operations safe and resilient after the monsoon. With both 09/27 and 14/32 out of service, arrivals and departures will cease until reopening at 5:00 p.m. IST. The airport emphasizes that airlines were informed well in advance so that schedules could be rebuilt to avoid the closure.

Latest developments

As of November 4, Indian and international outlets report that no flights are scheduled in the six-hour window, consistent with prior maintenance closures this year, when carriers removed inventory and retimed flights to the nearest viable slots before and after the work. We are watching for carrier-specific advisories, but the primary operational signal for now is "no flights planned" during the closure.

What to expect on schedules

In similar six-hour CSMIA closures, airlines typically pad block times and retime flights near the edges to reset banks after reopening. That can create short-term peaks right after 500 p.m. IST and thinner schedules in the early afternoon. While exact pad minutes vary by route and carrier, the pattern is predictable earlier inbound long-hauls aim to land before 11:00 a.m. IST, and later departures push to the evening wave. Expect some knock-on delays Thursday evening as queues clear and ground resources normalize. (This is based on Mumbai's pre- and post-monsoon maintenance cycles earlier this year and in prior years.)

Rebooking rules and protections

If your airline retimes or rebooks you, that is an airline-initiated change. In India, major carriers generally allow a no-fee change to a comparable date or routing when they alter the schedule, subject to seat availability. Separate tickets are riskier because protection across different PNRs is not guaranteed. If you built your itinerary on one ticket through a partner or alliance, you are typically protected to your final destination on the next available services. Airlines may also publish day-specific travel waivers closer to November 20, which can widen fee-free change windows. Check your carrier's alerts page and app notifications as the date approaches; look for language referencing Mumbai runway maintenance or operational advisory.

Connection strategy at Mumbai

For India domestic feeders into Mumbai, plan a longer buffer than usual on November 20. Inbound flights scheduled to arrive just before 1100 a.m. IST risk holding or diversion if they run late, and early-afternoon domestic services will not operate until after 500 p.m. IST. If you are on separate tickets to an international long-haul the same day, consider moving the domestic leg to the night before or to a morning arrival well ahead of the closure, and verify minimum connection times in your itinerary builder. If you must connect that evening, prefer itineraries with through-check and single-ticket protection.

Background

Mumbai is a single-airfield, dual-runway hub with intersecting runways that collectively handle one of Asia's densest schedules. The post-monsoon maintenance block is a recurring safety practice designed to ensure the runway surface and systems are fully serviceable for winter schedules, especially after a season that routinely brings heavy rain-related delays.

Final thoughts

The headline is simple: no flights at Mumbai from 1100 a.m. to 500 p.m. IST on November 20. Book earlier or later, add buffer on domestic feeders, and watch your airline's alerts in case a Mumbai-specific waiver appears. That planning will absorb the evening congestion when operations resume and help keep long-haul connections intact.