Emirates will continue to operate from Mumbai airport in the upcoming winter schedule, and Navi Mumbai airport is not ready for international operations, as various elements need to be put in place to fully build the ecosystem there, according to a senior airline executive.
Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) has decided to defer the partial shifting of international flights from Mumbai airport to Navi Mumbai till the next summer schedule, starting in March 2027.
Earlier, AAHL, which manages Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports, asked airlines to cut 33 per cent of their international flights or shift them to Navi Mumbai airport by October 25, citing renovation of the Mumbai airport's Terminal 1 (T1), scheduled to start next year.
After opposition from the operating airlines, AAHL has decided to defer the implementation of the shifting plan till the summer schedule starting in March 2027.
On Wednesday, to a query whether the airline will shift its operations to the Navi Mumbai airport, Emirates' senior executive Essa Sulaiman Ahmad said, "The airport is not ready".
Ahmad, Senior Vice President for West Asia & Indian Ocean, Commercial Operations at Emirates, also mentioned that for the time being "we're still staying at Mumbai International Airport".
There is a need to see what facilities are there that have been upgraded and a decision is taken.
"... we always say for that airport as well, definitely there will be (need for) lots of facilities within. They really need to work it out. At an airport, you would require a facility for catering; you would require a facility, for example, for cargo warehousing," he said at a briefing in the national capital.
Ahmad noted that those elements would be required until it gets fully built into the ecosystem.
Currently, Emirates has 28 weekly departures from the Mumbai airport.
On September 30, Air France-KLM said splitting its operations between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports is not an option and "does not make sense".
Earlier this month, Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), which operates the Mumbai airport, 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.
Navi Mumbai airport started operations in December 2025, and international services commenced with Air India Express' flights to Abu Dhabi from July this year.
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.