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Adani Proceeds With Mumbai Airport Redevelopment as Airlines Object
Adani Airport plans to rebuild part of Mumbai airport’s Terminal 1, starting in January 2027.
The operator says the work is needed because the terminal is old and has safety concerns.
It says the rebuilt terminal will be able to serve more passengers.
During the work, Adani wants some international flights to move to Navi Mumbai or have their Mumbai departure slots temporarily removed.
Airlines do not agree with the proposed slot cuts and have asked for more information about why they are needed.
They have also taken their objection to aviation regulators.
Adani says the move to Navi Mumbai would only be temporary and that previous slots will return after the work.
The operator gives two different estimates for how much passenger traffic will be unaffected: 99% in one statement and 91% in a quoted comment.
Adani Airport says redevelopment of Mumbai airport’s Terminal 1 will begin in January 2027 and increase its annual capacity from 15 million to 20 million passengers.
The operator says around 5 million passengers a year will be temporarily affected; its statement gives differing estimates of the unaffected share: 99% and 91%.
Adani has proposed temporarily discontinuing 265 of 770 weekly international departure slots at Terminal 2 from 25 October and shifting some operations to Navi Mumbai.
Airlines have rejected the proposed slot reductions and questioned the operational basis, while saying their support for redevelopment did not mean they accepted the cuts.
The Airline Operators Committee-Mumbai escalated its objection to aviation regulators; Adani says the Navi Mumbai transition is temporary and historical slots will be restored after redevelopment.
- Who
- Adani Airport Holdings and airlines operating at Mumbai airport, represented in the objection by the Airline Operators Committee-Mumbai.
- What
- A planned Terminal 1 redevelopment and a disputed proposal to temporarily reduce international departure slots at Mumbai airport and shift some operations to Navi Mumbai.
- Where
- Mumbai airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport, in India.
- When
- Redevelopment is scheduled to begin in January 2027; the proposed slot changes are from 25 October. The article reports an airline communication dated 2 October and a response deadline of 6 October.
- Why
- Adani says the 60-year-old terminal needs repairs for safety reasons and that the transition will provide capacity during redevelopment; airlines are seeking the basis for the proposed international slot reductions.
Adani Airport
Airlines
Temporary slot changes
Adani Airport
Adani says temporary changes and a shift of some operations to Navi Mumbai will provide capacity for redevelopment; it says historical slots will be restored, along with additional slots, once the terminal is operational.
Airlines
Airlines reject reducing, cancelling or withdrawing established international departure slots and say support for redevelopment does not constitute acceptance of the proposed cuts.
Basis for the proposed reductions
Adani Airport
Adani says consultations have been ongoing since 2020, the redevelopment was presented to AERA and incorporated into the approved tariff framework, and Navi Mumbai can provide capacity during the work.
Airlines
The Airline Operators Committee-Mumbai has sought the technical and operational basis for the proposed 33% reduction, including capacity assessments, Terminal 2 enhancements and demand-capacity analysis.
Key facts
- Redevelopment start
- January 2027
- Terminal 1 capacity
- Planned to rise from 15 million to 20 million passengers annually
- Passengers temporarily affected
- Adani says about 5 million annually, or around 9% of traffic
- Proposed international slot change
- 265 of 770 weekly Terminal 2 departure slots temporarily discontinued from 25 October
- Airlines affected
- 46 airlines, according to two people familiar with the developments
- Airline response deadline
- Adani asked airlines to identify slots by 4 p.m. on 6 October
- Traffic unaffected estimates
- Adani’s statement says around 99%; a quoted comment from its CEO says 91%
Quotes
Arun Bansal
Chief executive of Adani Airports
“91% of Mumbai Airport’s passenger traffic will remain unaffected even as we undertake redevelopment of the age-old infrastructure that was in urgent need of repairs.”
livemint.com
“The transition to Navi Mumbai Airport is temporary and does not represent a permanent shift of Mumbai Airport traffic.”
livemint.com
Sources
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