Mumbai airport will not alter airline slots during the upcoming winter schedule, Adani Airports said, pausing proposed international flight cuts after airlines objected to a plan linked to the partial demolition of an ageing terminal.
The decision was announced after Adani Airports Director Jeet Adani and Chief Executive Officer Arun Bansal met the Airline Operators Committee of Mumbai. An Adani Airports spokesperson said the airport had assured airlines that their historic slot allocations would be fully respected during the winter schedule.
The airport and airlines had been at odds over a proposal to temporarily reduce international flights to make space at Terminal 2. The move is connected to plans to shift about 5 million passengers from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 as part of work involving the ageing terminal, according to emails reviewed by Reuters and cited in the report.
Mumbai International Airport had proposed a 33% reduction in international departure slots. The Airline Operators Committee said in an October 2 letter that it did not accept the proposal. The committee had raised concerns about the effect of the proposed changes on airline schedules and operations.
Under the arrangement announced after the meeting, airlines have committed to supporting the rebalancing of traffic from the summer schedule, the Adani Airports spokesperson said. This means the immediate winter schedule will retain existing historic slot allocations, while any operational restructuring will be worked out for a later period.
A joint working group comprising the airport and airlines will prepare an implementation plan over the next two weeks. The airport and the Airline Operators Committee are scheduled to meet again on October 28. The committee had not immediately responded to a request for comment, according to the report.
The dispute highlights the operational challenge of managing passenger transfers and terminal redevelopment at one of India’s busiest airports without disrupting established airline schedules. For passengers, the immediate outcome is that the proposed winter reduction in international departures will not go ahead under the current arrangement. Further changes will depend on the implementation plan and discussions between the airport and airlines.
