Mumbai Airport is in the crosshairs, as the Ministry of Civil Aviation has instructed the airport to cut down on the number of flights that operate from the airport daily to ensure that congestion is reduced. The Government has instructed that the number of scheduled flights should be cut during rush hours and also imposed a curfew on the hours when private jets can operate in the airport.

The Reduction of capacity at Mumbai Airport

To achieve the reduction in capacity, the Airport Authority of India, responsible for air navigation services, directed the Mumbai Airport to reduce aircraft movement from 46 to 44 during peak hours and from 44 to 42 during non-peak hours.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation said it had to intervene because the airport operator was giving away excess slots and had not factored in the delay that could be caused by aircraft movement at the neighbouring bays. The airport was causing congestion and sometimes extended waiting times for up to 60 minutes.

About 40 flights to be cut daily through the end of March 2024

Airlines and airports operate on two schedules annually, with the current schedule being called the Northern Winter Schedule. This schedule will end on March 29, 2024, at 2359 hours. Subsequently, the Northern Summer Schedule will start, which will be in place for six months.

The move for capacity reduction will cause the reduction of an approximate number of 40 flights. According to The Economic Times, IndiGo, the largest operator in Mumbai, will have to cut 18 flights, while Air India group, including Vistara, will have to cut 17 flights daily.

As per a statement from Akasa, the airline has cut two flights (one into the airport and one out of the airport, till the end of March 2024. The flights cancelled are QP 1374 (Mumbai to Bengaluru) and QP 1362 (Bengaluru to Mumbai) between February 15 and March 30, 2024. As per CNBC TV18, Vistara will cut eight flights out of Mumbai effective March 19, 2024, without announcing the flight numbers.

Bottomline

If you are scheduled to fly out of Mumbai in the coming days, keep an eye on your flights. Some can be cancelled because the airport has reduced its operating capacity. Akasa will withdraw two flights and Vistara eight in the coming days.

What do you think of the situation at Mumbai Airport?

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