Flight operations at Calcutta airport will be suspended between noon on Sunday and 9am on Monday because of Cyclone Remal, airport officials said on Saturday.

“In view of Cyclone Remal’s impact on the coastal region of West Bengal, including Kolkata, a meeting was held with the stakeholders and it has been decided to close the flight operations from 1200 IST on 26.05.2024 to 0900 IST on 27.05.2024 due to predicted heavy winds and heavy to very heavy rainfall at Kolkata,” Calcutta airport authorities said in a statement on Saturday evening.

The decision was taken after a meeting between airport authorities and the Met department.

A total of 394 flights, including arrival and departure of domestic and international flights, have been cancelled, said officials.

Airport officials said they had alerted all stakeholders including airlines that even before noon on Sunday, if the weather condition deteriorates, flights could be diverted or cancelled.

According to airport sources, the decision on the resumption of flight operations after 9am on Monday would be decided after an assessment of the impact of the cyclone on the airport’s infrastructure.

In May 2020, when Cyclone Amphan hit, large parts of Calcutta airport’s apron area were inundated. At least two aircraft and several hangars were damaged.

Regular flight operations at the airport were closed because of the lockdown.

However, many overflying flights taking the Bay of Bengal routes were diverted.On Saturday, several airlines said the passengers of the impacted flights would get their refunds or would be rebooked on other flights.

“The cyclone may bring increased rainfall in #Kolkata and flights may be impacted. Please keep a tab onyour flight status bit.ly/2EJGGT and have safe travels,” IndiGo said in a post on its X handle. “Passengers are being offered both options of refund and rebooking,” said a spokesperson for IndiGo.

SpiceJet sources said they, too, would rebook tickets of passengers of the cancelled flights or give them refunds.

An airport official said overflying flights above Calcutta would not be affected except for those in the cyclone’s route. “Most overflying flights fly at heights between 33,000 feet and 41,000 feet, which is much higher than the height of the cyclone. However, as precautionary measures, those directly on the route of the cyclone might be diverted,” said the official.