Mumbai Airport shifts 12 international airlines to Navi Mumbai from March 2027

The redevelopment of Terminal 1 (T1) at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has moved a step closer, with the airport completing its destination-based slot allocation for the Summer 2027 schedule. The transition will see 12 international airlines shift their affected operations to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) from the end of March 2027, paving the way for the phased reconstruction of the ageing terminal.Following consultations with international carriers, CSMIA has allocated slots to 38 of the 50 international airlines operating from the airport. The remaining 12 airlines, which together operate around 16 daily departures to 14 destinations, have not been allotted slots at CSMIA for the upcoming summer schedule and may operate these services from NMIA.The airport said the arrangement would leave approximately 91 per cent of its existing traffic capacity unaffected, while facilitating the movement of around five million passengers annually to the new airport.Domestic airlines, including IndiGo, Air India and Akasa Air, had announced plans last week to shift flights serving 14 destinations to NMIA as part of the wider transition. T1 EXPANSION TO RAISE ANNUAL CAPACITY TO 20 MILLION PASSENGERSThe shift in flight operations is intended to create the capacity required for the redevelopment and expansion of Terminal 1. The upgraded terminal will increase its annual passenger-handling capacity from the existing 15 million passengers per annum (MPPA) to 20 MPPA.Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2027, with the expanded facility targeted to become operational by March 2029. The four-level extension will include four additional domestic bus boarding gates, along with expanded passenger-processing areas, security screening infrastructure and crew facilities. The redevelopment is aimed at addressing structural concerns associated with the ageing terminal while improving its infrastructure and passenger-handling capabilities.AGEING TERMINAL TO UNDERGO PHASED RECONSTRUCTIONCommissioned in 1964, Terminal 1 has a designed capacity of 15 million passengers annually. Structural audits conducted by Structwel in 2017 and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay in 2024 flagged concerns regarding the terminal's existing infrastructure.Demolition work is scheduled to begin in April 2027, followed by redevelopment in phases.CSMIA has also assured airlines that their historical slot allocations will be respected and will remain undisturbed during the temporary transition, ensuring continuity in their long-term operational arrangements.- Ends