[AMcWhirter]

For many years London Gatwick has claimed it’s the world’s busiest single runway international airport.

But now, according to reports in the Indian media, Mumbai is now the busiest.

http://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/with-one-flight-every-65-seconds-mumbai-airport-is-the-world-s-busiest-single-runway-airport-321629.html

http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-with-1-flight-in-65-secs-mumbai-busiest-single-runway-airport-2437747

http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/with-1-flight-in-65-seconds-mumbai-becomes-busiest-single-runway-airport-117051400249_1.html

[pheighdough]

I’m sorry to disappoint you, but the Indian media is quite wrong. Gatwick a couple of years ago had their ‘drive for 55’ with up to 55 scheduled runway movements per hour. This is now achieved on a regular basis, some hours seeing nearly 60 per hour.

Coupled to this their record movements in a day is 950, with something in the region of 70 days scheduled for 900+ movements during the busy summer months I am lead to believe.

Gatwick is still firmly the worlds busiest single runway operation, with 2017 guaranteed to be their busiest year yet.

[Flightlevel]

Depends on the average movements per hour over the whole year so given the weather is better in BOM they may well be right, we shall see at the end of 1 years operation.

[philsquares]

Interesting, since VABB has 2 runways (32/14 and 09/27). So, I would suspect some “fake news” at best.

[IanFromHKG]

According to Gatwick’s own numbers, they handled 275,633 in 2016, that is an average of just over 755 per calendar day. If the Indian news reports are correct in saying that Mumbai handled an average of 837 flights per day, they are well in the lead.

[philsquares]

But BOM is NOT a single runway airport such as LGW. So the statistics are meaningless!!!

[IanFromHKG]

[quote quote=807925]But BOM is NOT a single runway airport such as LGW. So the statistics are meaningless!!![/quote]

Really?

BOM has two runways, but only operates one at a time.

LGW has – er – two runways, but only operates one at a time.

Both operate as single runway airports. Both have a secondary runway which can be used when the main runway is closed. I am not sure how you can distinguish between them on this basis??? Do tell….

[Flightlevel]

Not splitting hairs, just RWYs. BOM can operate two RWYs at once because they cross and have different approach and departure paths and like other airports (eg.MNL) smaller aircraft can use one ‘between’ main RWY movements. LGW cannot since the second RWY is adjacent and parallel.

[IanFromHKG]

Granted. BOM *can* operate as a two-runway airport. But *does* BOM actually do that?? If not, their claims would seem to be valid.

I did try to check on this but couldn’t find any valid information contradicting BOM’s claim that they do, in fact, operate as a single-runway airport (just like LGW).

There is a big difference between “can” and “does”.

[philsquares]

1st of all, the “second” runway is a taxiway. It is used as a runway when the main runway is closed for repairs. The additional runway does not meet PAN-OPS criteria for simultaneous runway operations.

Secondly, I have operated into/out of BOM several times when they are conducting simultaneous arrivals and departures to both runways. Thus, they are NOT a single runway airport. Now, how the airport authorities want to claim their distinction is really up to them but trust me they are not a single runway airport or even close to it.

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