Foreign Airlines Oppose Plan to Relocate 14 International Routes from Mumbai
Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), the operator of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, has proposed temporarily relocating all flights on 14 international routes to Navi Mumbai International Airport starting with the 2027 summer schedule. The proposal, submitted to India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation, covers both Indian and foreign airlines operating on these routes.
The airport operator aims to shift approximately 5 million passengers annually to Navi Mumbai during the renovation of Terminal 1.
Adani CEO Says Flights Could Be Suspended
Speaking to reporters at the Aviation India Summit on November 3, Arun Bansal, CEO of Adani Airport Holdings, said airlines had been informed that they would need to vacate the affected slots starting in April.
Comparing the airport operator to a landlord and airlines to tenants, Bansal stated that carriers could either relocate their services to Navi Mumbai or temporarily suspend the affected flights.
Emirates and Air France-KLM Raise Objections
IndiGo, Air India Group and Akasa Air have agreed to gradually transfer some of their operations.
However, Emirates has questioned whether Navi Mumbai is ready to accommodate large-scale international operations, while Air France-KLM has argued that splitting flights between the two airports could reduce operational efficiency.
The Mumbai Airline Operators Committee has also challenged the proposed capacity reduction, arguing that it has not been adequately justified. The committee has urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation to protect existing slot rights.
Which Routes Could Be Relocated?
If approved, the plan would see flights to Bahrain, Dammam, Dhaka, Doha, Fujairah, Jakarta, Jeddah, Kathmandu, Kuwait, Medina, Muscat, Ras Al Khaimah, Riyadh and Sharjah temporarily operating exclusively from Navi Mumbai International Airport.
The changes would take effect on March 28, 2027, with the start of the summer flight schedule.
A final decision regarding the relocation of all 14 routes has not yet been announced.
