After airline pushback, Mumbai airport defers 265-flight cut to March 2027

Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport is set to avoid cutting 265 weekly international flights due to an airline pushback. The proposed 33 percent reduction in departures from Terminal 2, to accommodate displaced passengers from Terminal 1's redevelopment, has been put off until March 2027. Adani Airports Holding Limited and the Airline Operators Committee reached an agreement at a recent meeting, committing to maintain historical slot allocations and minimize disruption.

Airlines are also pledged to support the redevelopment of T1's aging infrastructure. The two sides have formed a joint working group to plan the upgrades. In the meantime, airlines can consider moving operations to Navi Mumbai International Airport, with MIAL offering full support. The dispute began with an earlier directive asking carriers to either relocate to NMIA or temporarily halt domestic flights from T1-B, which handles a third of T1's passenger traffic.

The government intervened, prompting the union's Ministry of Civil Aviation to defer the proposal and facilitate talks between the airport operator and airlines.