If you plan to fly into Lucknow in the coming five months, you might need to adjust your plans. From March 1 to July 15, 2025, Lucknow's Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport will undergo extensive runway repairs and modernisation. During this period, the airport will be closed daily from 10 am to 6 pm, with flight operations only permitted before 10 am and after 6 pm. This eight-hour daily closure is expected to disrupt approximately 80 flights and affect about 20,000 passengers.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has given approval for this major overhaul of the runway. The closure is necessary to ensure that the airport meets safety and modernisation standards, but it will significantly impact both domestic and international flight operations in and out of Lucknow.
The impact of the airport closure will be far-reaching, especially with a large number of flights and passengers affected. Airlines have been instructed to refund passengers who have booked tickets for flights during the hours of the closure. It is anticipated that around 20,000 passengers will receive refunds, as these flights will be either rescheduled or cancelled. Due to the limited operating hours, many airlines have already started rescheduling their flights to operate outside the 10 am to 6 pm window.
With flight availability severely reduced during the closure period, airfares are expected to rise. Demand for flights during the available hours will increase as passengers rush to secure spots on the limited flights, and airlines may capitalise on this by increasing ticket prices. Currently, there are no flights available for booking in March, further highlighting the disruptions caused by the closure.
With Lucknow Airport seeing a significant reduction in flight activity, it is expected that nearby Kanpur Airport could see a rise in operations as airlines shift some of their flights to this location.
International flights from Lucknow are also expected to be affected, further complicating the travel landscape. With fewer available flights and heightened demand, airfares are predicted to rise significantly.
(With inputs from multiple sources)