Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport faced significant disruptions on Wednesday evening due to heavy rain and wind shear. A total of 14 flights were diverted to other airports, while seven flights were forced to go around for a second landing attempt. The adverse weather conditions caused flight operations to be delayed by an average of 30 minutes, with delays peaking at an hour around 10pm.
Among the airlines affected were IndiGo, Vistara, Air India, Akasa Air, and Gulf Air. The diverted flights were directed to airports in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Goa, and Udaipur. The first flight to be diverted was an Air India flight from Rajkot to Ahmedabad at around 6.15pm. Subsequently, several other flights, including an IndiGo flight from Bangkok to Mumbai, were also diverted due to wind shear. The incident highlights the challenges faced by airports during inclement weather conditions.
Wind shear, a sudden change in wind speed and direction, can pose a serious threat to aircraft safety. The diversion of flights and subsequent delays caused significant inconvenience to passengers. The aviation industry is constantly working to develop technologies and procedures to mitigate the impact of adverse weather conditions on flight operations. However, such disruptions remain a challenge for airports worldwide.
