Civil aviation ministry asks Adani Airports to delay Mumbai-Navi Mumbai flight shift

India’s civil aviation ministry has asked Adani Airports to delay a proposed partial shift of international flights between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, with talks planned to agree on a transition plan, according to sources. Adani Airport Holdings (AAHL) had requested airlines cut 33% of international services to Navi Mumbai airports or stop them by Oct. 25, a move airlines opposed due to operational concerns. AAHL said it wants to begin renovations of Mumbai’s Terminal 1, prompting the proposal. Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha chaired a meeting in New Delhi with airlines, AAHL, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), IATA, and Airports Authority of India (AAI). The secretary suggested delaying the transition by a few weeks and asked for a firm plan. Discussions are scheduled Oct. 13, with another meeting Oct. 20 to finalize details. AAHL said redevelopment work would temporarily affect about five million passengers annually (~9% of Mumbai’s traffic), and after rebuilding Terminal 1 would handle 20 million passengers a year versus 15 million currently. The reduction involves 46 airlines, with IndiGo reportedly facing the largest cut.