Mumbai Floods Disrupt Air India Flights; Full Refunds Available For Affected Passengers

Flight operations have been disrupted due to heavy rains in Mumbai and its suburbs, leading to the cancellation and diversion of several flights. In response, Air India announced it is offering full refunds or a one-time complimentary rescheduling for confirmed bookings on Thursday.

The airline shared a link for passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport. “Heavy rains in Mumbai are affecting flight operations and resulting in the cancellation and diversion of some of our flights. Air India is offering full refunds or a one-time complimentary rescheduling for bookings confirmed for travel on July 25, 2024,” posted the airline on X. The airline further advised passengers to verify their flight status before traveling to the airport.

Earlier, the airline had warned passengers about potential disruptions due to the heavy rainfall. “Flights to and from Mumbai may be affected due to heavy rains. Guests are advised to start early for the airport, as slow traffic and waterlogging may delay movement,” the airline stated in a morning post.

Earlier in the day, the Andheri Subway in Mumbai was closed for vehicular movement due to waterlogging from persistent rainfall. The heavy downpours have caused waterlogging in several low-lying areas of Mumbai and its suburbs, bringing back familiar issues.

Overnight rainfall disrupted some public transport services, causing inconvenience to many commuters. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, “Today’s weather forecast at 8 am suggests moderate to heavy rain in the city and suburbs.” The forecast also warned of the possibility of very heavy rainfall in isolated areas, along with occasional gusty winds reaching 50-60 kmph.

The BMC reported that heavy rains have increased water storage in reservoirs supplying water to Mumbai, with four reservoirs – Vihar, Tulsi, Tansa, and Modaksagar – currently overflowing. As a result, the 10% water cut in Mumbai’s water supply will be withdrawn starting Monday, July 29. The BMC is also lifting the 10% water cut for Thane City, Bhiwandi, and Outside City Division Grampanchyats, where water is supplied by BMC, from the same date.

Additionally, the Indian Meteorological Department issued a red alert for Maharashtra on Thursday, predicting extremely heavy rainfall. On Wednesday, an orange alert was issued for the state, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall (115.6 to 204.4 mm) from July 26 to July 27 in Maharashtra. An orange alert was also issued for Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts in Maharashtra’s Konkan region.