Airlines seek more time to shift international flights to Navi Mumbai airport

MIAL presented its redevelopment plans and proposed temporarily shifting international traffic accounting for five million passengers per annum (MPPA) to NMIA.

Mumbai airport operator Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) has asked airlines to submit plans by November 3 for temporarily shifting international flights to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) ahead of the redevelopment of Terminal 1 (T1). Airlines have sought more time, people aware of the development said.

"At a meeting with the Airport Airline Operators Committee (AOC) on Wednesday, airlines indicated that the transition should not take place before the winter 2027 schedule, citing the need for advance planning," one person said.

"The airlines opposed any unilateral reduction in flight slots from the summer 2027 schedule and called on the airport operator to begin discussions on the winter schedule at the earliest, in line with the civil aviation ministry’s slot-allocation guidelines," they added.

The meeting lasted around 90 minutes and was attended by about 50 officials representing 35 airlines.

MIAL proposes shifting 5 million passengers to NMIA

During the meeting, MIAL presented its redevelopment plans and proposed temporarily shifting international traffic accounting for five million passengers per annum (MPPA) to NMIA.

IndiGo, the Air India group and Akasa Air have already finalised plans to shift international flights accounting for around 3 MPPA to the new airport. However, international airlines have yet to agree to the airport operator’s proposal.

MIAL has proposed shifting the remaining traffic from Terminal 2 (T2) at Mumbai airport during the summer 2027 schedule to meet its target, another person said.

The proposed relocation is part of MIAL’s plan to redevelop the ageing T1, which was commissioned in 1964.

Terminal 1 redevelopment to begin in April 2027

A spokesperson for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) said structural audits conducted by Structwel in 2017 and IIT Bombay in 2024 highlighted safety and structural concerns. According to the airport operator, these findings make replacing the terminal necessary.

The spokesperson said the airport shared artistic impressions of the proposed terminal with the AOC on Wednesday. The images represent the intended design and passenger experience rather than a definitive preview of the final structure.

The redevelopment is expected to increase T1’s annual passenger-handling capacity from 15 MPPA to 20 MPPA. Demolition is scheduled to begin in April 2027, with completion targeted for December 2030.

To manage domestic traffic during the redevelopment, an expansion of the north-west pier of T2 is planned. The expanded section is expected to become operational by March 2029.

Mumbai airport capacity to rise to 65 MPPA

CSMIA currently handles around 55 million passengers annually. Its capacity is expected to increase to 65 MPPA after the redevelopment of T1 and the expansion of T2.

MIAL has said the temporary relocation of five million passengers would leave around 91% of the airport’s current traffic unaffected. The shifted international traffic is expected to return after the T2 expansion.

NMIA currently has a passenger-handling capacity of 20 MPPA and is eventually planned to handle 90 million passengers annually.

Neha LM Tripathi is a Special Correspondent with the National Political Bureau of Hindustan Times. She covers the aviation and railways ministries, and also writes on travel trends. Her work spans national developments, with a focus on policy, people, and the evolving travel landscape. She has 13 years of experience. Before moving to Delhi, she was based in Mumbai, where she began her journey as a journalist. Outside the newsroom, Neha enjoys trekking and travelling.Read More