Airlines Must Shift to Navi Mumbai Airport or Lose Mumbai Flights, Says Adani CEO

International airlines that refuse to move their Mumbai flights to the soon‑to‑open Navi Mumbai International Airport face being barred from the city, Adani Airport Holdings chief Arun Bansal said on Tuesday. Bansal told reporters at the India Aviation Summit 2026 that airlines have been given notice to vacate the existing facilities at Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) from April, and that where they operate afterwards is their choice. The notice comes as MIAL prepares to redevelop Terminal 1, a project that will require part of the operations currently handled at Terminal 2 to shift to the new Navi Mumbai airport. Several foreign carriers have pushed back, citing a lack of proper consultation, worries about passenger inconvenience and the operational hassle of splitting services between two airports. Bansal compared the move to a landlord asking tenants to leave his property, emphasizing that the decision to relocate rests with the airlines. The dispute follows an earlier announcement that Adani Airport Holdings will raise $1 billion by selling a 5.54% stake to investors. ## Context The shift reflects a broader trend of Indian airports expanding capacity by building new terminals or satellite airports, which often forces airlines to adapt routes and ground operations to new sites.