Ten Gulf Airlines Denied Mumbai Airport Slots Amid Navi Mumbai Shift

UPDATE - follow-up to 10 smaller Gulf carriers denied airport slots at Mumbai: At least ten smaller Gulf carriers have had their requests for slots at Mumbai airport rejected by the Adani-operated airport. The airport operator told airlines to shift their operations to Navi Mumbai because of renovation work.

Affected Airlines

The affected airlines include Oman Air, Bahrain's Gulf Air, Air Arabia, Kuwait Airways, Jazeera Airways, and Qatar Airways. Four carriers from Saudi Arabia—Flyadeal, Flynas, Riyadh Air, and Saudia—have also faced slot rejections.

Flight Suspensions

This development comes as Mumbai airport plans to suspend flights to 14 international destinations so they can be served from Navi Mumbai instead. These 14 destinations are Bahrain, Dammam, Dhaka, Doha, Fujairah, Jakarta, Jeddah, Kathmandu, Kuwait City, Madinah, Muscat, Ras Al Khaimah, Riyadh, and Sharjah.

Airline Concerns

A representative for one of the denied airlines said the carrier had protested and asked the airport to reconsider. The representative questioned how a low-cost carrier could split its operations between two airports. They raised concerns about staffing, ground handling, cargo, and the catchment market, and called for a gradual shift. The representative also said the airport took a hardline approach instead of being more congenial.

Redevelopment Plans

The dispute stems from Mumbai International Airport Ltd's plan to redevelop Terminal 1 and move some domestic operations to Terminal 2. To make room, the operator proposed reducing international operations at Terminal 2 and moving some flights to Navi Mumbai International Airport. Domestic carriers have already moved about 60% of the flight capacity the airport sought to shift. The current standoff involves the remaining 40% capacity from international airlines.

Schedule Interventions

In October, the airport proposed cutting 265 of Terminal 2's 770 weekly international departure slots, affecting 46 airlines. Carriers objected to the timetable and forced relocation due to concerns over consultation, connections, and readiness at Navi Mumbai. After the Ministry of Civil Aviation intervened, the Adani Group deferred the proposed shift from the winter schedule to the summer 2027 schedule and stated that existing slots would remain undisturbed during the winter.

Context

Large airport infrastructure projects in major cities often require temporary capacity cuts and operational adjustments to manage air traffic during construction. Shifting airline operations to a brand-new airport like Navi Mumbai involves complex logistical coordination between airport operators, government ministries, and international carriers.