India Orders Plan for Moving Mumbai’s International Flights

India’s civil aviation ministry has set a deadline for one of the country’s most closely watched airport moves: shifting Mumbai’s international flights from the existing airport to the new Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA).

The Ministry’s Request

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has asked airlines and Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL), the operator of both airports, to submit a firm transition plan by 20 October, Business Today reported on 6 October. Consultations are scheduled for 13 and 20 October.

The ministry also proposes delaying the transition by several weeks from the original schedule, giving stakeholders time to settle operational details.

Major domestic carriers including IndiGo, Air India and Akasa Air have told the ministry they have been in talks with the airport operator on the proposed move for the past 18 months.

What Would Move

The shift would involve roughly 5 million international passengers a year moving to NMIA. It coincides with the phased redevelopment of Terminal 1 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, which is intended to lift that terminal’s capacity from 15 million to 20 million passengers annually once finished.

Reports do not detail the slot or airfield arrangements that would accompany the move.

The Open Issue: User Fees

A key unresolved matter is the user development fee (UDF) at NMIA, which awaits approval from the ministry. The charge affects airline costs and commercial planning, so carriers are reluctant to commit schedules before it is set.

AAHL has pointed to facilities available at the new airport, including connectivity, catering, hotels and lounges.

Why Airlines Care

Relocating an international schedule is more than a change of airport code. Carriers must reassign aircraft and crews, rework connections with domestic flights and tell customers where to go, all of which they want to plan against a known fee level and date.

The 20 October deadline is the next checkpoint. The transition date, fee decision and the exact mix of airlines moving first remain unconfirmed.