Adani Airports vs airlines: Why the standoff?

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Key points

• It operates Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, has decided to temporarily discontinue 265 of the 770 weekly international departures from Terminal 2, starting October 25.
• Adani AirportsNavi Mumbai International AirportMumbai Airport Terminal 1Mumbai airport redevelopmentairlines standoffMIALair travel disruptioninternational flights shiftChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airportairline operational efficiency.
• (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.).
• Mumbai airport's ageing Terminal 1 is due for phased redevelopment from January 2027.
• Adani Airports vs airlines: Why Mumbai-Navi Mumbai flight shift has triggered a standoff ET Explainer.

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Adani Airports vs airlines: Why Mumbai-Navi Mumbai flight shift has triggered a standoff ET Explainer. ET BureauLast Updated: Oct 07, 2026, 01: 12: 00 AM IST.

Adani Airports is facing resistance from airlines over its plan to temporarily shift international flights from Mumbai airport to Navi Mumbai as Terminal 1 undergoes redevelopment. As it creates capacity for displaced domestic passengers, MIAL intends to discontinue 265 of 770 weekly international departures from October 25, affecting 46 airlines.

New Delhi Mumbai: Redevelopment of Mumbai Airport's Terminal 1 has triggered a standoff between airlines and Adani Airports over the shifting of international flights to the new Navi Mumbai International Airport. Adani Airports controls both airports. What is the matter?

Mumbai International Airport (MIAL). It operates Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, has decided to temporarily discontinue 265 of the 770 weekly international departures from Terminal 2, starting October 25. This would affect 46 airlines and comes as MIAL prepares to shift domestic operations from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 during its redevelopment.: Adani asked to defer Mumbai airport's international flight shift to Navi Mumbai. Why the need to move flights?

Mumbai airport's ageing Terminal 1 is due for phased redevelopment from January 2027. T1 at present handles domestic operations. Once parts of the terminal are taken out of service, around 5 million passengers a year will need to be accommodated elsewhere. MIAL intends to apply capacity at T2 for displaced domestic passengers. To create that capacity, it wants international operations at T2 to be reduced temporarily. Adani Airports notes the redevelopment is necessary as of the age and safety reservations around the 60-year-old terminal. According to it, only regarding 9% of Mumbai Airport's total annual passenger traffic will be temporarily affected and that T1 will eventually have 33% more capacity after redevelopment. Live Events.

Where does Navi Mumbai come in?

In practice, the obvious alternative is the new Navi Mumbai International Airport. MIAL asked airlines to shift part of their international operations to Navi Mumbai, adding that the transition is temporary and the affected operations will return to Mumbai once T1 redevelopment is completed. Why are airlines opposing?

Airlines argue that the matter is not simply concerning moving flights from one airport to another. For an airline, shifting an international service involves aircraft and crew planning, ground handling, catering, cargo, maintenance, regulatory approvals and passenger connectivity. The International Air Transport Association has triggered concern over these problems and described the proposed move as a "forced relocation", arguing that the transition plan was not adequately worked out with airlines. Airlines additionally argue that Navi Mumbai's infrastructure and transport system is not adequately capable of handling substantial international operations. Airlines additionally contend that their winter schedules have already been planned and sold, making a large-scale change in October operationally challenging. For international airlines operating limited flights, having two bases for the same city is not cost-effective. Stefan Gumuseli, general manager of Air France-KLM, remarked it would reduce operational efficiency, split teams and ground-handling arrangements, and produce it harder to manage its long-haul network. Do airlines oppose T1 redevelopment?

No. Their principal objection is to the way the reduction in international operations at T2 has been decided. They have questioned the basis for cutting international departures by roughly one-third and sought details of the airport's capacity calculations and records of consultations over the T1 redevelopment. MIAL notes it had held consultations with airlines since 2020 and that a number of carriers either did not participate in its September 16 session or failed to submit transition aims by its September 25 deadline. How major is the impact?

Notably, the proposed reduction affects both Indian and foreign carriers. IndiGo faces the largest impact, with 74 of its 224 weekly international departures from Mumbai affected. Air India is next with 33 of 100, followed by Akasa Air with 11 of 32 and Air India Express with seven of 21. Among foreign carriers, Emirates and Etihad are each facing a reduction of 10 weekly departures. Although Adani Airports has proposed measures including cash vouchers to offset the difference for affected passengers, additionally, the new airport's user development fee is higher than Mumbai's. MIAL had asked airlines to identify by 4 pm on October 6 which slots they were willing to temporarily discontinue or shift. Otherwise, MIAL remarked it might determine the slots based on operational capacity. Add Now!

For now, adani Airports vs airlines: Why the standoff? Remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.