Airlines Demand Safety Audit Amid Standoff Over NMIA Flight Shifts

Public Lokpal
October 11, 2026

Airlines have pushed back fiercely against Mumbai International Airport Limited’s (MIAL) plan to shift 265 weekly international flights from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to the newly built Navi Mumbai International Airport.

Led by the Airline Operators Committee-Mumbai and IATA, carriers challenged the Adani-run operator’s mandate to reallocate operations by October.

MIAL justified the drastic move by citing critical structural and capacity constraints at Terminal 1, which requires redevelopment by early 2027.

However, airlines demanded immediate transparency, calling for the disclosure of independent structural safety audit reports, consultant assessments, and meeting records dating back to 2020 to verify the true urgency of the claims.

Carriers also highlighted severe operational disruptions, noting that winter schedules were already locked in and splitting operations across two distant airports would strain crews and connections.

Furthermore, airlines requested detailed month-by-month capacity figures and updates on Terminal 2 expansions to test whether the displacement is genuinely necessary.

Due to intense pushback, the Ministry of Civil Aviation intervened, placing the abrupt transition timeline on hold and urging MIAL and airlines to formulate a collaborative, consultative roadmap instead.