Show us the safety audit: Airlines push back on Adani plan to move 265 Mumbai flights to NMIA
Airlines operating at Mumbai International Airport (MIAL) are demanding access to the structural safety audits of Terminal 1 before they consent to the relocation of 265 weekly international flights to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), set to commence on October 25. The Airline Operators Committee (AOC) has sent a letter to MIAL requesting additional information for a stakeholder meeting on October 13.
The requested documents include consultant reports, a presentation on Terminal 1's redevelopment plan, the status of Terminal 2's expansion, monthly capacity data for both terminals in 2026, the alternatives MIAL considered, and a review of slot-allocation compliance in the event of capacity reduction. Both airports are owned by the Adani group, with NMIA operated directly by the group and MIAL managing Mumbai International Airport.
The civil aviation ministry recently decided to postpone MIAL's plan to cut 265 of T2's 770 weekly international departures, making space for domestic flights displaced by T1's partial rebuilding. MIAL had initially planned to start demolishing and rebuilding Terminal 1B's northern section in January 2027. Airlines have expressed concerns over the need to shift a third of the airport's international departures to Navi Mumbai, asking MIAL to provide the safety audits and detail the redevelopment plan.
They also seek information on the current status, scope, and timeline of T2's expansion and month-by-month capacity figures for 2026. The airlines believe this data will reveal whether the reduction in international flights is justified and if existing infrastructure can be better utilized during the rebuilding. Additionally, the AOC requests an explanation of the alternatives considered by MIAL and a formal review of slot-allocation compliance if capacity is reduced.
The civil aviation ministry's intervention has temporarily halted the October 25 transition, urging MIAL to collaborate with airlines to develop a revised plan.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
