Mumbai airport plans 5 million passenger capacity cut from 2027

Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) has told airlines to plan for a capacity restriction equivalent to around five million passengers annually from the summer 2027 schedule as redevelopment of Terminal 1 approaches.

The proposal has triggered a dispute with airlines, which have rejected any unilateral reduction or relocation of their international operations from Mumbai’s main airport.

MIAL has informed members of the Airline Operators Committee that individual airlines can decide how to adjust their operations from summer 2027. Options include shifting a portion of their international departures from Terminal 2 to Navi Mumbai International Airport, suspending some services from Mumbai until Terminal 1 reopens or exploring other arrangements.

The airport operator has said historical take-off and landing slots at Mumbai airport will be maintained and restored after the Terminal 1 redevelopment is completed in 2030, reported The Times of India.

The dispute arises because Terminal 1 will undergo phased reconstruction, requiring capacity to be managed while the terminal’s operations are maintained during the work.

The first phase of the redevelopment is scheduled to begin on January 15, 2027. The northern section of Terminal 1B, which accounts for around one-third of the terminal’s capacity, is due to be demolished as part of the first phase.

MIAL initially proposed changes affecting 265 of Mumbai airport’s 770 weekly international departure slots in order to free capacity for domestic passengers displaced by the redevelopment. It has since said capacity restrictions equivalent to five million annual passengers will be necessary from the summer 2027 schedule.

Airlines, through the Airline Operators Committee, have rejected any unilateral transfer or cancellation of their allocated slots. They have requested an evidence-based justification for the proposed changes, including capacity assessments, operational data and details of the redevelopment plan and structural-safety assessment.

The airlines have also called for compliance with the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s slot-allocation guidelines and the International Air Transport Association’s Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines.

The two sides are scheduled to meet again on October 28.

The proposed capacity restriction should not be interpreted as a confirmed loss of five million passengers. It represents the amount of annual capacity MIAL says must be managed during the redevelopment period. The final arrangements for airlines and passengers remain under discussion.