Adani Airports has decided to defer the partial shift of international flights from Mumbai Airport to Navi Mumbai until the next summer schedule, starting in March 2027, following detailed discussions with airline representatives on Tuesday, according to sources.
With Adani Airports Holdings Ltd (AAHL) set to start renovation of the Mumbai airport's Terminal 1 (T1) next year, airlines were asked to cut 33 per cent of their international flights or shift them to Navi Mumbai airport by October 25, also the start of the winter schedule.
Following opposition from the operating airlines, Mumbai airport had informed them that the implementation of the plan would be deferred by a few weeks.
Both Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports are part of AAHL. Mumbai airport is operated by Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL).
To discuss the transition plan, AAHL top leadership and other executives held discussions with the representatives of the Airline Operators' Committee (AOC) in the city on Tuesday.
This follows the stakeholders' meeting that was chaired by the Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha on October 6 wherein it was decided that there would be discussions with the carriers on the transition plan.
At the meeting on Tuesday, it was decided that the partial shifting of international flights from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai airport would be deferred till the summer schedule that commences im March 2027.
One of the sources said the entire renovation plan for T1 is likely to be deferred till the summer schedule.
"Jeet Adani and Arun Bansal met with the AOC of Mumbai airport today. They have assured the airline community of minimisation of disruption and have assured them of fully respecting historical slots allocations. They have further given a commitment not to disturb any slots for the winter schedule," a MIAL spokesperson said.
According to the MIAL spokesperson, a joint working group to work over the next two weeks to come up with a plan for implementation of redevelopment of ageing T1 infrastructure and that there was commitment from the airlines of supporting the redevelopment and traffic balancing to start from summer schedule.
The spokesperson also said that MIAL would provide full support ensured for any airline wanting to shift any operations to Navi Mumbai airport.
Another source said airlines are expected to start the transition of their international operations in a phased manner.
The final contours of the implementation of the transition plan will be decided at a meeting to be chaired by the civil aviation secretary on October 20, sources said. Airlines have asked AAHL to provide the complete plan for the renovation of T1.
After the October 20 meeting, there will be another meeting between AAHL executives and airlines' representatives to sort out any pending issues on October 28, they said.
The MIAL spokesperson said at the meeting on Tuesday, both teams agreed to have a follow up meeting on October 28 and till then, it would engage with each airline's network and slot teams.
Mumbai International Airport, one of the busiest in the country, has two terminals -- T1 and T2. T1 handles domestic operations, while international flights operate from T2. The vacated international departure slots at T2 will facilitate the transition of domestic traffic from T1.
Earlier this month, MIAL communicated to 46 airlines to effect a 33 per cent cut in international departure slots at the airport with effect from 11.59 pm on October 25.
At present, a total of 46 airlines operate 770 weekly international flights from T2 and from October 25, MIAL asked carriers to temporarily discontinue 265 weekly overseas services, sources had said on October 2.
On October 3, AAHL said 91 per cent of Mumbai airport's passenger traffic will remain unaffected by the demolition of the north section of T1 for the redevelopment of the six-decade-old terminal and the subsequent relocation of partial operations to T2 and Navi Mumbai International Airport.
T1 redevelopment will begin in January 2027 and increase capacity by 33 per cent, from 15 mppa to 20 mppa (million passengers per annum), AAHL said in a statement.