Twelve international airlines operating from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) have not been allocated slots for the Summer 2027 schedule, potentially forcing the relocation of approximately 16 daily departures to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), sources said on Thursday.
Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), which operates CSMIA, finalised the allocation of international slots for the summer schedule beginning in March 2027, approving slots for 38 of the 50 international carriers operating from the airport.
The remaining 12 airlines, operating flights to 14 international destinations, may have to shift their services to Navi Mumbai as part of a broader plan to reduce passenger traffic at CSMIA during the redevelopment of Terminal 1.
Sources said the arrangement would leave approximately 91 per cent of Mumbai airport's existing passenger-handling capacity unaffected while facilitating the transfer of nearly five million passengers annually to the new airport.
The development comes amid continuing disagreements between international airlines and the airport operator over the proposed relocation of flights.
๐ฆ๐น๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ญ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
According to sources, the 12 affected international airlines operate approximately 16 daily departures to destinations across the Gulf, South Asia and Southeast Asia.
The destinations identified for the proposed transfer include Bahrain, Dammam, Dhaka, Doha, Fujairah, Jakarta, Jeddah, Kathmandu, Kuwait City, Madinah, Muscat, Ras Al Khaimah, Riyadh and Sharjah.
Airlines operating on these routes include Air Arabia, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways, Oman Air, Saudia, Qatar Airways, Riyadh Air, Jazeera Airways, SalamAir, Flyadeal, Flynas and Nepal Airlines.
However, it was not immediately clear which individual airlines had received formal communications denying their requested slots.
The airport operator has proposed consolidating services to the identified destinations at Navi Mumbai rather than splitting operations between the two airports in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
MIAL had earlier asked airlines to submit voluntary relocation proposals by November 3.
The company subsequently proceeded with its slot allocation exercise for the upcoming summer schedule.
๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
The Airport Operators' Committee (AOC), which represents airlines operating at Mumbai airport, has objected to the proposed relocation, alleging that the decision was taken without adequate consultation.
Sources associated with the committee claimed that the airport operator had acted unilaterally and had not followed the guidelines governing slot allocation.
The committee maintained that the decision was inconsistent with the Ministry of Civil Aviation's requirements and the International Air Transport Association's slot guidelines.
Airlines had previously sought government intervention to protect their existing flight timings and ensure that historical slots were not withdrawn without due process.
The dispute intensified after MIAL proposed reducing passenger capacity at the existing airport to accommodate redevelopment work.
Foreign carriers have expressed concerns about the operational implications of shifting services to Navi Mumbai, including passenger connectivity, infrastructure readiness and the time required to prepare for relocation.
Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL), which manages both airports through its entities, did not immediately comment on Thursday's development.
๐ง๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ญ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ฝ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ
The proposed transfer is linked to the redevelopment of Terminal 1 at CSMIA, which is expected to begin in April 2027.
The terminal, commissioned in 1964, has been identified for reconstruction following structural assessments that raised concerns about its ageing infrastructure.
According to the airport operator, the redevelopment has been pending for several years and is necessary to modernise facilities and increase passenger-handling capacity.
Mumbai airport currently has an annual passenger-handling capacity of approximately 55 million.
The planned redevelopment is expected to temporarily reduce this capacity by around five million passengers annually.
MIAL has maintained that transferring selected international services to Navi Mumbai would allow redevelopment work to proceed while preserving most of the existing airport's operational capacity.
The airport operator has also indicated that the affected airlines' historical slots could be restored once the planned capacity expansion becomes available.
๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐
Several Indian airlines have already announced plans to move selected services to Navi Mumbai International Airport.
IndiGo, Air India Group and Akasa Air have outlined phased transitions involving domestic and international operations.
IndiGo has announced plans to progressively shift 12 daily international departures to NMIA between February and July 2027.
Air India Express is also preparing to transfer selected international services, including flights to destinations in the Gulf.
Akasa Air has announced plans to move its Mumbai-Jeddah operations to Navi Mumbai from December 2026.
According to MIAL, the relocation commitments made by Indian carriers account for approximately three million passengers annually.
The proposed transfer of additional international services is intended to bridge the remaining capacity requirement during the redevelopment period.
๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ ๐ ๐๐บ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ถ
Navi Mumbai International Airport is being developed as a major aviation hub to supplement Mumbai's existing airport and accommodate growing passenger demand.
Its initial passenger-handling capacity is designed at 20 million annually, including five million international passengers.
The airport operator has introduced incentives to encourage airlines to launch or relocate international services, including concessions on landing charges for eligible routes.
MIAL has argued that consolidating flights to selected destinations at NMIA would help maintain passenger connectivity and avoid operational fragmentation.
However, the proposed relocation remains contentious, with international carriers seeking greater clarity over slot protection and transition arrangements.
The latest allocation decision marks a significant step towards shifting international traffic between the two airports ahead of the Summer 2027 schedule.
With the redevelopment of Terminal 1 approaching, the focus is now on whether the affected airlines will accept the proposed relocation or seek further intervention from aviation authorities.