Mumbai airport handles 969 flights in 24 hours and sets a new world record

Mumbai International Airport has broken its own record of 935 on Friday by handling 969 takeoffs and landings in its single runway. The feat was achieved from 5.30am on Friday to 5.30am on Saturday. Though Mumbai has two runways they cannot be used simultaneously as they crisscross each other. Therefore it comes under single runway category. The other major airports coming under this category includes London, Istanbul, San Diego, Fukuoka and Xiamen.

Mumbai handles over 900 airline flights per day. The runway has a declared capacity to handle 46 take-offs and departure in an hour. But on Friday it handled 50 in an hour twice, once in the morning and once in the evening. The maximum number it ever handled was 52. London Gatwick has handled 55. A senior air traffic controller said there were times the Mumbai airport handled 10 takeoffs and landings in ten minutes.

Another MIAL official said the airport is gearing towards crossing 1,000 aircraft movements per day soon in the single runway with the length of 12008 feet.