Mumbai airport asks airlines to submit plans by November 3 for shifting international flights to Navi Mumbai

Mumbai airport operator MIAL has asked airlines to submit plans by November 3 for shifting some international flights to Navi Mumbai airport. Several carriers want more time, with some seeking to defer relocation until October 2027 amid concerns over the transition and terminal redevelopment.

Mumbai airport operator MIAL has asked airlines to submit their plans for shifting some international flights to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) by November 3, as carriers seek more time to decide on the relocation, according to a PTI report.

Representatives of more than 35 airlines and officials of Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) discussed the proposed transition at a meeting on Wednesday. The discussions focused on the transfer of part of Mumbai airport's international operations to NMIA and the redevelopment of Terminal 1 (T1).

MIAL had initially planned to begin the partial shift from October 25, but later deferred the deadline to the summer schedule starting in March 2027 after airlines raised concerns about the transition. Several carriers have now sought time until the next winter schedule, which begins in October 2027, to decide on relocating their international flights, sources told PTI.

Why does Mumbai airport want to shift international flights?

MIAL plans to redevelop Terminal 1, with work expected to begin next year and completion estimated by 2030. The operator wants airlines to move some international flights from Terminal 2 (T2) to NMIA so that the vacated capacity at T2 can be used for domestic operations during the redevelopment.

Mumbai airport currently has two terminals, with T1 handling domestic flights and T2 serving international operations.

At Wednesday's meeting, MIAL shared a detailed redevelopment schedule for T1, according to sources cited by PTI. Airlines insisted that the redevelopment should be carried out in phases and opposed any unilateral decision to reduce their slots from the summer schedule beginning in March 2027.

MIAL also assured airlines that the temporarily shifted international traffic, estimated at 5 million passengers per annum (mppa), would be fully restored to Mumbai airport after the T2 expansion is completed.

Air India, IndiGo and Akasa to shift international flights to NMIA

Despite the concerns over the broader transition plan, some airlines have announced plans to move international services to Navi Mumbai in phases.

Air India, Air India Express and IndiGo said on Sunday that they would progressively shift international flights to NMIA from December. Akasa Air has also announced a phased transfer of its Mumbai-Jeddah services to the new airport from December.

The airlines are working with Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL), which operates both Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports.

What is the capacity of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports?

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) can currently handle around 55 million passengers annually. Its total capacity is expected to rise to 65 mppa after the redevelopment of T1 and T2.

NMIA, meanwhile, is designed to handle 20 million passengers annually in its initial phase, with further expansion planned to increase capacity to 90 million passengers.

The transition is intended to support the redevelopment of Mumbai airport while developing the two airports as an integrated aviation hub. However, the timing and scale of the shift remain points of discussion between MIAL and airlines, according to the PTI report.