Proposed transfer of international flights to Navi Mumbai remains unresolved as foreign carriers raise concerns over costs, infrastructure and implementation timelines.
Mumbai: Foreign airlines and Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) have failed to reach an agreement on shifting international flights from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to the new Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA).
A meeting between Adani Airports and foreign airlines on Wednesday ended without a resolution, prolonging the dispute over the proposed transfer of flight operations.
AAHL, which operates both airports, has proposed moving some international services to Navi Mumbai to facilitate the planned redevelopment of Mumbai airport’s 60-year-old Terminal 1 building. The operator initially proposed shifting around one-third of international flights in August.
Proposed Transfer of 265 Weekly International Departures
The disagreement escalated in early October when airlines were asked to transfer 265 of Mumbai airport’s 770 weekly international departures to Navi Mumbai by October 25. The Civil Aviation Ministry subsequently asked Adani Airports to suspend the plan pending consultations with all stakeholders.
The proposed shift has raised concerns among foreign carriers over the short implementation timeline, limited consultation and operational challenges associated with moving services to a new airport.
Airlines Raise Concerns Over Higher Airport Charges
Foreign airlines have also questioned the higher user development fees at Navi Mumbai airport, which are reportedly around 3.5 times those at Mumbai airport. Adani Airports has offered passenger vouchers to offset the additional cost.
Emirates has raised concerns about Navi Mumbai airport’s readiness, citing infrastructure gaps and passenger access. A proposed metro connection between the two airports is still several years away, adding to questions around connectivity for passengers transferring between the two locations.
Indian Airlines Outline Their Transition Plans
The deadlock primarily involves foreign carriers, while Indian airlines have announced plans to shift some international operations to Navi Mumbai.
IndiGo and the Air India Group have outlined plans to move around one-third of their international flights to the new airport between January and next summer. Akasa Air has also announced plans to transfer its Mumbai-Jeddah flights in December.
Adani Airports Seeks Transition Plans by November 3
Adani Airports has asked foreign airlines to submit their transition plans by November 3. However, the latest meeting ended without an agreement, leaving the proposed transfer of international flights unresolved.
The outcome of further consultations will determine how the proposed redistribution of international operations between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports proceeds.
