Adani Group-operated Mumbai airport is set to begin the next phase of its Terminal 1 redevelopment from January 15, 2027, with the airport operator planning to shift a portion of flight operations to Terminal 2 and Navi Mumbai International Airport, reported PTI.
Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), which operates Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, has informed the Civil Aviation Ministry that the first phase will involve demolition of the north section of Terminal 1-B. The move is part of a broader operational realignment aimed at reducing disruption to passengers and airlines during the redevelopment.
The Mumbai airport currently handles more than 950 flight movements a day and has an overall capacity of over 50 million passengers annually. T1 and T2 can handle around 15 million and 40 million passengers, respectively.
Flight redistribution begins ahead of T1 redevelopment
MIAL plans to start shifting international flight operations to Navi Mumbai International Airport from October 1. At least one-third of international air traffic movements will be moved to the new airport as part of the transition.
From October 25, at least one-third of the air traffic currently handled by T1 will be shifted to T2. The airport operator said the redistribution is intended to provide airlines with sufficient time to adjust their operations before demolition work begins.
“It has been decided that Phase 1 of the redevelopment plan of BOM Terminal 1 shall be limited to just the North Section of Terminal 1-B (catering to around 5 mppa traffic) in order to ensure minimal impact on airline operations and passenger convenience,” MIAL’s Chief Airport Officer Vishnu Mohan Jha said in the letter to Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha.
MIAL said it would provide around three-and-a-half months of transition assistance to airlines before commencing demolition of the north section of T1-B on January 15, 2027.
The airport operator has already begun reorganising flight operations. Akasa Air shifted its domestic operations from T1 to T2 from August 1 as part of the realignment.
MIAL seeks joint group to manage transition
MIAL is also in discussions with domestic and international airlines over moving some flights from T2 to Navi Mumbai International Airport and others from T1 to T2.
Terminal 1 is nearly eight decades old, and a portion of the terminal has already been demolished. The phased redevelopment is being planned to limit the impact on airline operations and passengers.
In its August 13 letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry, MIAL requested the formation of a Joint Transition Group (JTG) headed by the Civil Aviation Secretary. The proposed group would coordinate with airlines and other stakeholders during the transition and help minimise inconvenience to passengers.
Both Mumbai airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport are owned by the Adani Group.