Less chaos in the air on Day 2

After a maniac Saturday with disrupted flight schedules and cancellations, air travellers had a relatively easy Sunday. There were fewer cancellations, and delays were ranged from between 20 minutes to about half an hour.

There were about nine cancellations, two of Indian and seven of Jet Airways, “But those were specific to the schedules of respective airlines and not because of any operational disruptions at the airport,” said Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) spokesperson.

On Sundays, air traffic movements are lesser by about 30 flights as compared to around 635 flights on a normal day. The rush is more for international sectors. Passengers were prepared for delays and were less complaining too. Airport authorities said the forecast for Monday is for heavy showers with gutsy winds.

“There are hourly reports sought on weather by the airport authorities in case the forecast is for heavy rains or for cyclone like conditions. Depending on the situation, the airlines can take a call to delay the flight from taking off or if it is already mid-air, to divert it to the nearest favourable airport,” said an air traffic control official.

“Tomorrow is another day. If there is a warning of near cyclonic conditions, we will ensure drains are clear and there is no water logging. Steps will be taken to ensure that no water comes on to the runway,” said MIAL spokesperson.