Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport is preparing to temporarily reduce its international flight operations by approximately 265 weekly flights starting October 25. This adjustment is being made to accommodate an increase in domestic traffic at Terminal 2 (T2), following the planned closure of Terminal 1 (T1) for redevelopment purposes.
The Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), owned by the Adani Group, has notified around 46 airlines that international departure slots at T2 will be decreased by roughly 33 percent. Currently, T2 has 770 weekly international departure slots, and 265 of these will be suspended temporarily.
IndiGo will experience the largest cut, losing 74 international flights weekly, followed by Air India with 33, Akasa Air with 11, Air India Express with 7, and SpiceJet with 5. Additionally, international carriers such as Emirates and Etihad Airways will see a reduction of 10 weekly departures.
Airlines have been given until October 6 to indicate which slots they are willing to forfeit. If they do not comply, MIAL will decide which slots to retract based on operational needs and other factors, as reported by sources.
This reduction in international capacity aims to free up space for domestic flights relocating from T1, which is set to undergo demolition and rebuilding.
However, the closure of T1 will be gradual. The redevelopment will focus on the northern section of Terminal 1B, which currently serves around 5 million passengers each year. The transition will occur in phases, with one-third of the flights moving first, another third later, and the complete transition expected by January 2027.
In addition to the temporary relocation of 5 million domestic passengers to the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), the remaining two-thirds, or 10 million passengers, will continue to operate out of T1, which currently handles nearly 950 flights each day.
Earlier this month, airport officials requested airlines operating from T1 to either transfer their services to NMIA or suspend operations starting October 25. MIAL stated that the redevelopment timeline was postponed due to the lack of alternative operating facilities. The airport operator has assured airlines that their historical slot rights will be reinstated once the new terminal is operational.
The new Terminal 1 is projected to be completed by 2029-30, but the redevelopment plan has faced opposition from several airline operators.
Recently, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) expressed its concerns in a letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry regarding the mandatory relocation of operations to NMIA. The association argued that any transfer should be voluntary and driven by airlines’ commercial and operational needs.
IATA also highlighted potential issues regarding NMIA’s preparedness in areas such as ground handling, aircraft maintenance, catering, cargo operations, crew accommodation, and overall connectivity. They have called for a transparent capacity assessment, prior consultation with airlines, and clarity regarding the handling of existing airport slots during the transition.
Similar objections have been raised by the Challenge Group, an international logistics carrier, which announced a temporary halt to its Mumbai operations, citing the current NMIA setup’s inability to provide the reliability necessary for cargo operations. Air France-KLM has also voiced concerns regarding the division of its long-haul operations between the two airports, citing operational challenges.
The immediate priority remains the October 6 deadline for airlines to identify the international slots they are willing to relinquish. Should they fail to do so, MIAL will allocate the slots based on operational and capacity considerations. This transition is anticipated to impact passenger traffic through alterations in flight frequencies, schedules, and departure locations, potentially resulting in longer travel times for some passengers to NMIA.
As the October 25 deadline draws near, tensions between MIAL and airlines regarding the transition have yet to subside. With the airport emphasizing redevelopment needs while airlines are advocating for more flexibility and dialogue, there is potential for increased disruption to airline schedules and passenger traffic in the upcoming months.
