Air India Says Airlines May Not Shift Quickly to Navi Mumbai Airport

Air India has said airlines may not move quickly to the newly opened Navi Mumbai International Airport, raising doubts over a fast shift from Mumbai’s current airport.

In a letter sent to the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA) on April 16, Air India said it does not agree with expectations that airlines are eager to move operations to the new airport soon.

The airline listed three main reasons for the slow transition. First, aeronautical charges at Navi Mumbai Airport are expected to be higher. Second, road and Metro connectivity to the new airport is still limited. Third, airlines may face higher costs if they have to operate flights from both Mumbai airports at the same time.

Air India also pointed to uncertainty over the future of Terminal 1 at Mumbai’s existing airport. Many in the aviation sector believed closure of Terminal 1 would encourage airlines to move faster to Navi Mumbai.

AERA is currently consulting airlines and other stakeholders to decide airport charges for Navi Mumbai Airport for the 2025 to 2030 period.

Both Mumbai’s existing airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport are managed by the Adani Group.

Air India’s comments suggest that shifting airline operations could take more time than expected, and the transition may happen in phases instead of all at once.

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