Adani Airports vs airlines: Why Mumbai-Navi Mumbai flight shift has triggered a standoff | ET Explainer

New Delhi | Mumbai: Redevelopment of Mumbai Airport's Terminal 1 has triggered a standoff between airlines and Adani Airports over the shifting of international flights to the new Navi Mumbai International Airport. Adani Airports controls both airports.

What is the issue?

Mumbai International Airport (MIAL), which operates Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, has decided to temporarily discontinue 265 of the 770 weekly international departures from Terminal 2, starting October 25. This would affect 46 airlines and comes as MIAL prepares to shift domestic operations from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 during its redevelopment.

Also read: Adani asked to defer Mumbai airport's international flight shift to Navi Mumbai

Why the need to move flights?

Mumbai airport's ageing Terminal 1 is due for phased redevelopment from January 2027. T1 currently handles domestic operations. Once parts of the terminal are taken out of service, around 5 million passengers a year will need to be accommodated elsewhere.

MIAL plans to use capacity at T2 for displaced domestic passengers. To create that capacity, it wants international operations at T2 to be reduced temporarily. Adani Airports says the redevelopment is necessary because of the age and safety concerns around the 60-year-old terminal. According to it, only about 9% of Mumbai Airport's total annual passenger traffic will be temporarily affected and that T1 will eventually have 33% more capacity after redevelopment.

Where does Navi Mumbai come in?

The obvious alternative is the new Navi Mumbai International Airport. MIAL asked airlines to shift part of their international operations to Navi Mumbai, adding that the transition is temporary and the affected operations will return to Mumbai once T1 redevelopment is completed.

Why are airlines opposing?

Airlines argue that the issue is not simply about moving flights from one airport to another. For an airline, shifting an international service involves aircraft and crew planning, ground handling, catering, cargo, maintenance, regulatory approvals and passenger connectivity. The International Air Transport Association has raised concerns over these issues and described the proposed move as a "forced relocation", arguing that the transition plan was not adequately worked out with airlines.

Airlines also argue that Navi Mumbai's infrastructure and transport system is not adequately capable of handling large international operations. Airlines also contend that their winter schedules have already been planned and sold, making a large-scale change in October operationally difficult. For international airlines operating limited flights, having two bases for the same city is not cost-effective.

Stefan Gumuseli, general manager of Air France-KLM, said it would reduce operational efficiency, split teams and ground-handling arrangements, and make it harder to manage its long-haul network.

Do airlines oppose T1 redevelopment?

No. Their principal objection is to the way the reduction in international operations at T2 has been decided. They have questioned the basis for cutting international departures by roughly one-third and sought details of the airport's capacity calculations and records of consultations over the T1 redevelopment.

MIAL says it had held consultations with airlines since 2020 and that several carriers either did not participate in its September 16 meeting or failed to submit transition plans by its September 25 deadline.

How big is the impact?

The proposed reduction affects both Indian and foreign carriers.

IndiGo faces the largest impact, with 74 of its 224 weekly international departures from Mumbai affected. Air India is next with 33 of 100, followed by Akasa Air with 11 of 32 and Air India Express with seven of 21.

Among foreign carriers, Emirates and Etihad are each facing a reduction of 10 weekly departures. Also, the new airport's user development fee is higher than Mumbai's, although Adani Airports has proposed measures including cash vouchers to offset the difference for affected passengers. MIAL had asked airlines to identify by 4 pm on October 6 which slots they were willing to temporarily discontinue or shift. Otherwise, MIAL said it might determine the slots based on operational capacity.