No international flights move to Navi Mumbai before March 2027, MIAL tells airlines

International travellers flying from Mumbai will not be moved to the new Navi Mumbai airport this winter. Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), which runs Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, has told airlines that no international flights will be shifted to Navi Mumbai International Airport before the winter flying schedule ends in March 2027, according to reports on Tuesday, 13 October 2026. Airlines keep their existing Mumbai slots for the winter season, which runs from 25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027, and any later move is to follow consultation with them. A day later, on 14 October, Emirates said Navi Mumbai is not yet ready to handle international flights because it still lacks supporting facilities such as catering and cargo warehousing.

For passengers, the immediate news is reassuring. Anyone holding a ticket for an international flight from Mumbai this winter, including the busy Diwali, Christmas and New Year travel weeks, can expect to fly from the airport printed on the ticket. A forced move at short notice could have meant last-minute changes of terminal and airport, longer journeys across the city, and confusion over connections.

The dispute also shows the growing pains of Mumbai's two-airport system. Navi Mumbai International Airport began commercial operations on 25 December 2025 with domestic flights by IndiGo, Air India Express and Akasa Air. MIAL wants to rebuild Terminal 1 at the existing airport, which means freeing up capacity, and moving some international traffic to Navi Mumbai was its way of doing that. Airlines argued that a new airport needs more than a runway and a terminal: ground handling, aircraft maintenance, catering and cargo services all have to be in place before international carriers can operate reliably.

IATA, which represents airlines worldwide, said any transfer should be voluntary, commercially viable and backed by a full operational readiness process agreed with airlines. It also objected to any requirement that airlines give up their slots at the main airport. Emirates' comments on 14 October echoed those concerns, though the airline said it was open to flying to new airports, including Navi Mumbai and Noida, if India gave it additional flights and slots.

The disagreement is not fully settled. One industry source quoted in reports said airlines did not accept MIAL's view that they had committed to supporting the redevelopment and the balancing of traffic between the two airports. The question of who moves, and when, will return before the summer schedule in March.

Short-term: International passengers from Mumbai will fly from the existing airport through the winter season. Travellers should still check their tickets and airline messages, since terminal changes within the main airport remain possible as redevelopment plans move ahead.

Long-term: Navi Mumbai's growth as an international gateway depends on catering, cargo, maintenance and ground-handling services being ready, and on agreement with airlines. A move in late March 2027 is possible but not certain.

Who is affected: International passengers using Mumbai, airlines including foreign carriers such as Emirates, the Adani group's airport companies, cargo shippers, and residents of Navi Mumbai and nearby areas who would benefit from closer international flights.

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