Mumbai Airport News: 265 International Flights Face Temporary Cuts Amid T1 Redevelopment
Mumbai Airport News
Mumbai’s airport network is preparing for a major operational change as international flight slots are set to be reduced to make room for domestic flights affected by the redevelopment of Terminal 1.
The change is linked to the planned redevelopment of Terminal 1 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The terminal currently handles domestic operations, but parts of it will be closed in phases as redevelopment work begins.
The northern section of Terminal 1B is scheduled to be demolished and reconstructed. The affected section handles around five million passengers every year. To reduce disruption, the airport plans to shift domestic operations in stages rather than closing the entire terminal at once.
Around one-third of the affected domestic operations will be moved initially, followed by another one-third. The complete transition is expected by January 2027, while the new Terminal 1 is expected to be ready during 2029-30.
However, Mumbai airport does not have enough spare capacity to accommodate all the domestic flights being displaced from T1. As a result, some domestic operations are expected to move to Navi Mumbai International Airport.
To create additional space at Mumbai airport, around one-third of international departure slots are planned to be temporarily discontinued. A total of 46 airlines are affected by the changes, and carriers have been asked to identify the international slots they are willing to surrender.
The airlines have been given an October 6 deadline to provide their choices. If airlines do not identify the slots they want to give up, Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) may decide which slots will be withdrawn based on operational capacity and other factors.
The changes could have a wider impact on airline operations. Aircraft rotations, crew schedules, maintenance planning, cargo movements and passenger connections may all need to be adjusted as the airport network changes.
Airlines have raised concerns about the proposed relocation of operations to Navi Mumbai and have sought greater flexibility in deciding which services should be shifted or discontinued.
The flight changes are expected to remain linked to the redevelopment programme until the new Terminal 1 is completed. The airport operator will need to manage the transition carefully to maintain smooth passenger and airline operations during the construction period.
Ajeet Yadav is an aviation enthusiast covering airline news, airports, aircraft, and industry developments through well-researched and reliable reporting.
