Civil Aviation Ministry Asks Mumbai Airport & Airlines To Come Up With A 'Win-Win Plan' Over Shifting Flights To NMIA

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) in Mumbai has requested Adani Airport Holding Ltd (AAHL) and airlines to develop a mutually beneficial plan for relocating flights from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) by October 20. Airlines oppose this shift due to AAHL's intention to cease 265 international flights from Terminal-2, which they claim is unsuitable for repositioning operations to NMIA.

On September 30, MIAL issued a warning to airlines, stating they must either move to NMIA or suspend their services temporarily. AAHL has pledged to maintain historic slots post redevelopment, expected to take around four years. Following widespread opposition, MoCA convened a meeting with AAHL, the Airports Authority of India, the Federation of Indian Airlines, and other domestic airlines on Tuesday.

The aviation secretary tasked AAHL to draft a solid transition plan with airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, and Akasa Air. A consultation meeting between the airport operator, airlines, and the aviation secretary is scheduled for October 13 to finalize the plan, with a potential delay in the transition by a few weeks. AAHL assured readiness at NMIA, citing infrastructure and passenger amenities.

The operator also revealed that the redevelopment of Mumbai's T-1 will increase airport capacity from 15 million to 20 million passengers annually, as T-1 is nearing 60 years and requires significant redevelopment.