The aviation ministry gave airlines and the airport operator until October 20 to agree on a transition plan for Terminal 1’s redevelopment.
India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation has paused a proposal to reduce international departures at Mumbai airport’s Terminal 2, asking the operator, airlines and other stakeholders to agree on a transition plan by October 20.
Mumbai International Airport Ltd. (MIAL), which operates Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, had proposed removing 265 of Terminal 2’s 770 weekly international departure slots. The change would affect 46 carriers. IndiGo faced 74 proposed cuts, Air India 33, and Emirates and Etihad Airways 10 each.
MIAL said it needed to free check-in counters, baggage belts, gates and office space for domestic operations moving from Terminal 1 during that terminal’s phased redevelopment. The operator estimates the move would help accommodate about five million additional passengers a year. Airlines objected that the proposed timetable was too tight and difficult to manage operationally.
The ministry has asked the parties to produce an acceptable joint plan and directed Adani Airports to submit its request for approval of Terminal 1’s development plan. The operator has called a further stakeholder meeting for October 13.
The dispute is part of a wider reshaping of airport operations in Mumbai. Domestic traffic from Terminal 1 is due to move to Terminal 2, while some international services could eventually shift to the new Navi Mumbai airport. The International Air Transport Association has opposed a forced relocation, saying any transfer should be voluntary and based on consultation.