International airlines must move to Navi Mumbai or stop flying to Mumbai: Adani Airports CEO
Adani Airport Holdings CEO Arun Bansal stated that airlines unwilling to relocate to the new airport could cease operations in Mumbai.
Adani Airport Holdings CEO Arun Bansal said on Tuesday that international airlines unwilling to shift operations to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) could stop flying to Mumbai. Speaking on the sidelines of the India Aviation Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Bansal addressed the relocation of flight operations.
The disagreement follows plans by Adani-owned Mumbai International Airport Ltd. (MIAL) to undertake redevelopment work at Terminal 1. This work will necessitate moving a portion of flight operations currently handled at Terminal 2 to the Navi Mumbai facility.
According to The Hindu, international airlines have resisted the proposed shift. The airlines have raised concerns regarding the impact on passengers, operational implications of splitting Mumbai operations between two airports, and a lack of adequate consultation.
Defending the operator's position, Bansal said airlines had been given notice to vacate existing facilities from April. He compared the situation to a landlord telling airlines to vacate a property, stating that where they choose to operate after that is their choice.