UAE-Mumbai flights delayed as heavy monsoon rains disrupt operations

Dubai: Flights between the UAE and Mumbai are facing delays on Monday after torrential monsoon rains disrupted operations at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, prompting airlines to advise passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.

Mumbai has been experiencing its third consecutive day of heavy rainfall, leading to waterlogging across parts of the city and affecting both road traffic and air travel.

UAE departures affected

Several flights from Dubai to Mumbai were delayed on Monday evening. An IndiGo flight (6E1456) scheduled to depart Dubai at 7.55pm was delayed by nearly an hour, with a revised departure time of 8.50pm, according to Dubai Airports' live flight information.

A SpiceJet service (SG5114) due to leave at 11.40pm was delayed by around three hours and is now expected to depart at 2.40am.

However, Emirates flight EK500, scheduled to depart Dubai at 9.40pm, was still expected to leave on time.

On the arrivals side, Emirates flight EK503 from Mumbai, originally due to land in Dubai at 9pm, was expected to arrive at 9.43 pm.

Overall, flights on the route were seeing average delays of around an hour.

Airlines issue advisories

Airlines including IndiGo urged passengers travelling to or from Mumbai to check the latest status of their flights before leaving for the airport.

In a travel advisory posted on social media, IndiGo said: "Due to heavy rains, flights to/from Mumbai and Pune are impacted."

The airline also advised travellers to allow extra time to reach the airport because road traffic has been slowed by the rain.

Flights cancelled and diverted

The heavy rain has disrupted operations throughout the day at Mumbai airport.

According to reports, 17 arriving and departing domestic and international flights were cancelled on Monday, while five flights were diverted to alternate airports.

Akasa Air also cancelled several services to and from the adjacent Navi Mumbai International Airport and issued a travel advisory for passengers.

Mumbai's annual monsoon season, which typically runs from June to September, frequently brings periods of intense rainfall that can affect transport across the city, including airport operations.

Monday's downpour was severe enough to disrupt flight schedules for both domestic and international travellers.

Passengers travelling between the UAE and Mumbai are advised to check directly with their airline or airport before travelling, as flight schedules may continue to change depending on weather conditions.