A proposed shift of 265 weekly international departures from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) may begin after Diwali, after a meeting between the Union aviation secretary, airport operators and airlines moved the long-running issue towards a transition plan.
The proposed transfer would involve 265 of CSMIA’s 770 weekly international departures. The move was earlier expected to begin on October 25, but stakeholders are now considering a post-Diwali transition. Airlines are expected to submit a firm plan for shifting their services, according to a report by The Times of India.
Union aviation secretary Samir Sinha convened a 90-minute meeting on Tuesday with representatives of Air India, IndiGo, Akasa, Adani Airports and the Airports Authority of India. People familiar with the discussions told the newspaper that Indian carriers acknowledged the issue had been under discussion for nearly 1.5 years.
The meeting did not produce a final decision, but it was described as having created a “positive direction” for further discussions. Adani-run Mumbai International Airport Ltd, which operates CSMIA, is learnt to have offered to begin shifting the 265 international departures after Diwali. Following that proposal, Sinha asked airlines to prepare their transition plans at the earliest.
The aviation ministry’s stated priority is to prevent disruption for passengers whose flights may move between the two airports. Sinha is learnt to have instructed stakeholders to provide adequate advance notice and avoid last-minute changes. The next meeting is scheduled for the following Tuesday, with a final decision potentially being taken on October 20.
The proposed redistribution is linked to the planned reconstruction of the oldest parts of CSMIA’s Terminal 1. The terminal is more than six decades old, and structural safety concerns have reportedly been raised in studies conducted during the tenures of both the previous operator, GVK, and the current operator, Adani. The report said the reconstruction is considered necessary on safety grounds.
The rebuilding work could require Terminal 1 to be demolished in one operation or reconstructed in phases. A phased approach has been selected to keep disruption at a lower level while the work progresses, according to people familiar with the matter. Shifting a portion of international operations to NMIA would therefore allow airport authorities and airlines to manage capacity while the older terminal is addressed.
The proposal also highlights the operational challenge of running two major airports serving the Mumbai metropolitan region. Any transfer would require airlines to coordinate schedules, airport access, ground operations and passenger communication. The available details do not establish which individual routes or airlines will move, or the precise date on which the transition will begin.
A final decision is expected to be considered at the next stakeholder meeting, with October 20 identified as a possible date. Airlines are expected to submit their transition plans before then, while the proposed shift remains subject to agreement among the airport operator, carriers and aviation authorities.
