Foreign Airlines, Adani Airports deadlocked over Mumbai Airport shift

Mumbai: Foreign airlines and Adani Airports continue to be in a deadlock over shifting international operations from Mumbai's Terminal 2 (T2) to Navi Mumbai International Airport, with carriers seeking to move from the winter schedule of 2027 even as the airport operator plans to begin demolishing Terminal 1 (T1) in April.

A meeting on Wednesday between Adani Airports that controls both Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports and foreign carriers ended without an agreement after around 90 minutes of discussions. About 50 executives representing almost all the 45 airlines in Mumbai's Airline Operators' Committee attended the meeting, people familiar with the matter said. Airlines sought further details before committing to the move.

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Adani Airports wants airlines to temporarily shift some of their operations to Navi Mumbai during the expansion work in Mumbai. The disagreement centres on the timing and terms of the transition.

Airlines have sought a phased redevelopment of T1, similar to the earlier T2 redevelopment, and rejected any unilateral reduction in slots from the summer 2027 schedule, a person in the know said. They urged the airport operator to begin discussions on the winter 2027 schedule promptly. Any transfer, they said, must comply with the Ministry of Civil Aviation's slot-allocation guidelines, according to the person.

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"There needs to be a business case for airlines to move to the Navi Mumbai airport. We cannot be asked to unilaterally agree to move to an airport 50 km away. We had sought for a phased development which is something globally airports do," said an airline executive present in the meeting.

"Adani Airport has sought a transition plan from airlines by November 3," one of the people aware of the matter said, adding that foreign carriers maintained they would need until October 2027 to transition their operations.

A spokesperson for Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) said demolition of Terminal 1 was scheduled to begin in April 2027, with the redeveloped terminal targeted for completion by December 2030. "An expansion of Terminal 2's north-west pier, expected to be operational by March 2029, would handle interim domestic traffic," the spokesperson said.

Indian carriers have announced plans to move selected services. IndiGo will progressively transfer 12 daily international departures between February and July 2027, including flights to Jeddah, Riyadh, Kuwait, Muscat and Dhaka. Air India Express plans four daily domestic flights from Navi Mumbai from December, followed by international services. Akasa Air will move its Mumbai-Jeddah flights to the new airport from December.

According to a presentation reviewed by ET, the redevelopment is expected to raise T1's annual capacity to 20 million passengers from 15 million, increase contact stands to 25 from seven and check-in counters to 109 from 74, and expand baggage belts to 11 from five. A north-west pier at T2, adding four domestic bus boarding gates, is planned for completion by March 2029.

Adani Airports also presented Navi Mumbai's slot availability and commercial incentives to the airlines. Its presentation showed no slot constraints during the hours covered by a typical busy-week chart.

Proposed landing-charge waivers for new international routes include 100% in the first year and 50% in the second for short-haul services. Long-haul routes qualify for waivers of 100%, 50% and 25% over three years. The scheme runs until March 31, 2030.

The presentation projects the combined annual passenger capacity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region's two airports rising to 85 million by December 2030 from 75 million. increase contact stands from seven to 25 and check-in counters from 74 to 109, and expand baggage belts from five to 11. A north-west pier at T2, adding four domestic bus boarding gates, is planned for completion by March 2029.

Adani also presented Navi Mumbai's slot availability and commercial incentives. Its presentation showed no slot constraints during the hours covered by a typical busy-week chart. Proposed landing-charge waivers for new international routes include 100% in the first year and 50% in the second for short-haul services; long-haul routes qualify for waivers of 100%, 50% and 25% over three years. The scheme runs until March 31, 2030.

The presentation projects combined annual passenger capacity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region's two airports rising from 75 million to 85 million by December 2030. However, opposition from foreign carriers leaves the transition unresolved as T1 redevelopment approaches.