09 July,2026 08:59 AM IST | Mumbai | Madhulika Ram Kavattur
Santosh Kumar, who handles traffic outside Terminal 1, shows his left foot, which is wrinkled after long hours of working in the rain
After witnessing disruptions and delays lasting over 50 minutes due to three days of intense rainfall, normalcy has returned at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
While pilots and flight crew have received praise from all quarters for ensuring the safety of passengers, it was the efforts of the ground staff who worked tirelessly that afforded a smooth experience for fliers from the time they alighted from their vehicles till they boarded the plane.
Santosh Kumar, one such staffer who handles traffic in the departure area outside T1, said, "I grew up in a village near Lucknow. Working in all types of weather is in my blood. I stood in the rain last weekend because it is my job, because without me, passengers would not have a smooth experience."
Showing his wrinkled feet, Kumar, who works for Krystal Integrated Services, which manages frontline security, passenger traffic, and infrastructure maintenance at the airport, said, "At times, I was stationed near the parking lot where I came in contact with water. After a point, my shoes got drenched. But as I couldn't do anything about this, I kept working and took them off after I returned home. My feet were normal after I got some rest, but that didn't last long, as it rained the next day as well."
A member of the ground staff who works airside, or the restricted portion of the airport beyond security and passport control checkpoints, requesting anonymity, said, "We have gotten used to working in the rain. Because Mumbai's rains are unpredictable, we are ready for any weather."
A member of the ground staff assists a wheelchair-bound woman at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Wednesday. PICS/MADHULIKA RAM KAVATTUR
He added, "We understand that the passengers get frustrated when their luggage is late or their flight is delayed, but this happens because we want to make sure that all is well, and we don't do anything in haste."
Another staffer, who works as a loader and wheelchair assistant for a well-known airline, said, "I have been working in the industry since 2016, and in my current airline since 2019. I have seen all kinds of weather, and I'm used to it. Sometimes passengers curse us out, but their anger is actually towards the airline, and since we are the face of it, we bear the brunt, especially during delays that happen during the monsoon." The staffer added, "We get gumboots and shoes, but they aren't that protective, and raincoats heat us. Without the gear we get drenched in rainwater; with it, we are drenched in sweat."
A netizen took to X on Monday, when heavy rains lashed the city, posting, "After delays, landed in between very heavy rains with strong winds in Mumbai airport today noon-aircraft had turbulence especially when it approached towards landing. Hats off to pilots, crew & airport ground staff who handle passengers with safety during such heavy Mumbai rains (sic)."
