Mumbai Airport News: Qatar Airways, Gulf Carriers Warn of Diplomatic Escalation Over Slot Cuts
Mumbai Airport News
A major dispute has erupted between leading Middle Eastern airlines and the Adani Group-run Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) over plans to shift international flights to the new Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). Gulf carriers—including Qatar Airways, Air Arabia, Oman Air, Riyadh Air, Flynas, and Saudi Arabian Airlines—have warned of diplomatic escalation if their established Summer 2027 flight slots at Mumbai’s Terminal 2 (T2) are not restored.
To prepare for the redevelopment of the 60-year-old Terminal 1B—which requires reducing Mumbai Airport’s annual passenger capacity by five million—MIAL proposed shifting flights serving 14 international destinations to Navi Mumbai starting in late March 2027. Out of 50 foreign airlines operating at Mumbai, only 38 were awarded Summer 2027 slots at Terminal 2.
In a strongly worded communication to MIAL, the affected Gulf carriers raised several key objections:
- Violation of Slot Rules: Airlines argue that reducing airport capacity unilaterally violates the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s 2013 Slot Allocation Guidelines and global aviation standards protecting “historical slots” (flight timings operated in previous seasons). RNA
- Threat of Reciprocal Action: The carriers warned that if their slots are denied, they will escalate the matter to aviation regulators and government ministries in their home countries—raising the risk of retaliatory restrictions on Indian airlines flying to the Gulf.
While Indian carriers such as IndiGo, Air India Express, and Akasa Air have agreed to gradually move select West Asian routes to Navi Mumbai, foreign airlines refuse to relocate due to higher passenger travel times and loss of connecting traffic.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also opposed moving international flights out of Mumbai. He has urged Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu to construct a new Terminal 1B before demolishing Terminal 1A so that existing international services can continue operating without disruption.
Ajeet Yadav is an aviation enthusiast covering airline news, airports, aircraft, and industry developments through well-researched and reliable reporting.
