Mumbai Airport’s Primary Runway Shut After Hard Landing Of Flight AI-2744 From Kochi Causes Minor Cracks; Secondary Runway Activated

Mumbai: Operations at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) shifted to the secondary runway on Monday morning after a hard landing by Air India flight AI-2744 from Kochi caused minor cracks on the primary runway.

The incident occurred at 09:27 AM, when the aircraft reportedly made a hard touchdown during heavy rainfall, leading to a runway excursion. Emergency response teams at the airport were immediately deployed.

In a statement, a CSMIA spokesperson said:

“An incoming aircraft from Kochi experienced a runway excursion at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), Mumbai at 09.27 hours on 21 July 2025. CSMIA's emergency response teams were immediately activated to manage the runway excursion. All passengers and crew are safe.”

The primary runway suffered minor surface damage, prompting the airport to activate Secondary Runway 14/32 to ensure uninterrupted operations. Runway repair work began shortly after the incident.

“At CSMIA, safety always remains our highest priority,” the spokesperson added.

Air India, in its official statement, confirmed the incident involved flight AI-2744 from Kochi to Mumbai, which encountered heavy rainfall during landing. The aircraft was able to taxi safely to the gate, and all passengers and crew disembarked safely.

“The aircraft has been grounded for checks. The safety of passengers and crew remain our top priority,” said an Air India spokesperson.

There were no reports of injuries, but the incident has triggered an internal review by airport and airline safety teams. While no major delays have been reported, minor rescheduling of flights may occur as long as the primary runway remains under repair.