Adani to begin Mumbai Airport Terminal 1 demolition in January; 5 million passengers to be affected

Mumbai: Adani Group will start tearing down part of Mumbai airport's ageing Terminal 1 in January, temporarily affecting about 5 million passengers a year as the operator moves to address safety concerns and expand capacity.

Mumbai International Airport, operated by Adani Airport Holdings, said the north section of Terminal 1B will be taken out of service in the first phase of the redevelopment. The affected traffic represents about 9% of Mumbai airport's annual passenger volume, while the remaining 91% is expected to continue operating normally.

Adani Airport Holdings CEO Arun Bansal said in the statement: "91% of Mumbai Airport's passenger traffic will remain unaffected".


Airlines using the affected facilities can shift operations to Navi Mumbai International Airport, giving carriers an alternative as work begins at Terminal 1. The relocation will be temporary, according to Adani Airport Holdings.

The redevelopment will increase Terminal 1's capacity to 20 million passengers a year from 15 million, a 33% increase. Adani Airport Holdings said historical airline slots will be restored after the redevelopment, along with additional slots.

The operator cited safety concerns at the 60-year-old terminal and said discussions with airlines over its future had been underway since 2020. It also pointed to a fire at Terminal 1 in April as highlighting the risks associated with the ageing infrastructure.

Navi Mumbai International Airport is offering a 100% landing-fee discount for new international flights. It also plans to provide cash vouchers to international passengers to offset differences in user development fees.