New Delhi, October 6 (Daily Kiran) : The Ministry of Civil Aviation has mandated domestic airlines and airport operators to devise a comprehensive transition plan for operations at Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). This directive comes as preparations are underway for the phased redevelopment of Terminal 1 at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA).
Sources indicate that the ministry has also proposed extending the transition timeline by several weeks to facilitate a smoother transfer for airlines, passengers, and other stakeholders.
This decision was made during a high-level meeting focused on the redevelopment of CSMIA’s Terminal 1 and the proposed transfer of certain flight operations to NMIA.
The Aviation Secretary engaged in detailed discussions with airlines and airport operators, urging all parties to present a clear operational plan. A follow-up review meeting is scheduled for October 13, where plans to transfer approximately 5 million international passengers annually from Mumbai Airport to Navi Mumbai Airport will be finalized. Another meeting is likely to occur around October 20 to reach consensus on the final transition plan.
Major domestic airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, and Akasa Air, have informed the ministry that they have been in discussions with the airport operator regarding this change for the past 18 months.
Representatives from Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), and various airlines participated in the meeting.
AAHL presented its preparations to handle 5 million international passengers annually at Navi Mumbai Airport. The company shared plans regarding airport infrastructure capacity, road connectivity, in-flight catering services, hotels, lounges, and other passenger amenities.
During the approximately 90-minute discussion, operational concerns raised by airlines were addressed. All stakeholders expressed their commitment to ensuring that passenger convenience and operational efficiency remain unaffected during the transition process.
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