NEW DELHI: Air passengers should brace for delays and disruptions and be ready to pay more for flight tickets , as India’s two busiest airports will close their runways for maintenance at different periods starting next month and stretching through the first quarter of 2019.More than 2,000 flights are expected to be cancelled or rescheduled during this period. While one runway at Delhi airport will be closed for 13 days in November, the airport in Mumbai will remain shut for six hours thrice a week between February 7, 2019 and end of March.The shutdown is expected to impact 1,300 flights in Delhi airport, its operator said. In Mumbai, it could be at least 700, said airline executives, but the airport operator didn’t specify any numbers.“During both closures, domestic flights will be impacted the most and airlines will be cancelling flights that will lead to fares rising” during those days, said an airline executive, who did not want to be named.Airport operators said the runways needed repair and that they had planned the maintenance with proper coordination with all stakeholders, including airlines. Delhi airport, with three runways, will close its Runway 27 — the oldest runway at the airport that is used primarily by flights using Terminal 1D — starting November 15.“The runway has to be closed for maintenance as it required repair. This is a planned closure and is done in consultation with all stakeholders, including airlines,” said an executive at Delhi International Airport , the company that runs the airport.A statement from the company said this would impact about 100 flights a day. “These works are essential for safe aircraft operations and to avoid sudden disruptions that cause greater impact,” it said in an emailed response to ET’s questions.An executive at Mumbai International Airport also said the closure was planned and necessitated as the runway required strengthening.“This closure is to strengthen the intersection in the runway at Mumbai airport. Since the repair work is to be done at the intersection, we will have to close the runway completely. We have decided to close it during the day time to ensure that early morning, late evening and international flights are impacted minimally,” the executive said.The runway will be closed from 11 am to 5 pm during a 52-day period starting February 7, 2018. Mumbai’s airport will be closed also for a few hours for runway maintenance on October 23, which is set to impact at least 32 flights.