Stories
Airlines Reject Mumbai Airport's T2 Flight Cuts, Warn of Passenger Chaos
- •Airlines formally rejected Mumbai Airport's plan to temporarily discontinue 33% of international departure slots at Terminal 2 from October 25, citing potential disruption and passenger trouble.
- •Mumbai International Airport (MIAL) proposed discontinuing 265 of 770 weekly international departure slots at T2 as part of the T1 redevelopment transition, giving airlines until October 6 to identify slots.
- •Airlines argue the winter schedule was approved in June 2026, and any reduction in capacity must follow transparent consultation, not unilateral imposition, as bookings are already made.
- •Airlines question MIAL's consultation process, stating meetings lacked proper agendas and minutes did not accurately reflect their positions, with focus shifting to Navi Mumbai Airport.
- •Airlines are seeking intervention from the Civil Aviation Ministry, requesting a detailed stakeholder meeting and urging the government to prevent unilateral operational measures by the airport operator.
Key Questions Answered
Airlines have formally rejected the proposed 33% reduction in international departure slots at Terminal 2, warning of passenger disruption and network issues. They argue that the winter schedule was already approved in June 2026, and that MIAL proceeded with unilateral decisions without meaningful consultation or transparent coordination.
Under MIAL's plan to temporarily discontinue 265 weekly international departure slots at T2, the largest reductions apply to IndiGo with 74 weekly slots and Air India with 33 slots. Akasa Air faces 11 slot cuts, Air India Express has seven, and international carriers like Etihad Airways and Emirates face 10 weekly slot reductions each.
To encourage international operations to shift to Navi Mumbai International Airport, Adani Airports is offering a 100% discount on landing fees for new international flights. Additionally, the operator plans to provide cash vouchers to international passengers to offset User Development Fee differences between Navi Mumbai and Mumbai airports.
