Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) has given carriers three stark options as it prepares a multi-year redevelopment of Terminal 1: transfer flights to the under-construction Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), suspend operations until 2030, or negotiate reduced schedules from summer 2027. The Economic Times broke the story in a 20 October 2026 report citing an internal MIAL letter to the Airline Operators Committee. The existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport handles 55 million passengers a year—far above design capacity. MIAL says rebuilding the ageing domestic terminal will temporarily remove capacity for five million passengers annually. Airlines, however, argue that splitting fleets across two airports separated by 40 km of congested roads will raise costs, complicate crew rotations and confuse international passengers. Global mobility teams need to plan contingencies now. Companies with hefty Mumbai travel volumes—IT services, film production and financial services—should expect schedule volatility and longer transit times between international and domestic legs. Slot negotiations under IATA rules could see late-night or early-morning departures becoming the norm. Government regulators have asked MIAL for assurances that historic slots will be restored post-redevelopment. Until clarity emerges, travel managers may shift connecting traffic through Delhi or Bengaluru to maintain itinerary certainty.
Source: The Economic Times
