Mumbai airport is set to reduce 265 weekly international flights from October 25 as part of a major operational reshuffle linked to the redevelopment of Terminal 1 (T1). The temporary cuts will affect airlines operating from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport as the airport prepares to accommodate additional domestic traffic at Terminal 2 (T2).
Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), which operates the airport, has asked airlines to reduce international departure slots by about 33% from the start of the winter flight schedule on October 25. The airport currently handles around 770 international departures a week operated by 46 airlines.
The reduction is connected to the planned phased closure of T1. The terminal, which primarily handles domestic flights, is being taken out of service to make way for redevelopment. As T1 operations are shifted, additional domestic flights and passengers will have to be accommodated at T2, which also handles international traffic.
The move means airlines will have to temporarily reduce or adjust their international schedules from Mumbai. The 265-flight reduction represents roughly one-third of the airport’s current weekly international departures.
IndiGo is expected to see the largest reduction among Indian carriers, with 74 weekly international departures affected from its existing schedule of 224. Air India is expected to reduce 33 international services from its current 100 weekly departures.
Other Indian airlines will also be affected. Akasa Air is expected to reduce 11 weekly international flights, while Air India Express and SpiceJet face reductions of seven and five services respectively.
Foreign airlines will also have to adjust their Mumbai operations. Emirates and Etihad Airways are each expected to reduce 10 weekly international departures. Both carriers currently operate 28 international flights a week from Mumbai.
The changes are expected to remain temporary and are linked to the airport’s redevelopment programme rather than a permanent withdrawal of these international routes. Airlines will decide how to modify their schedules based on available slots and operational requirements.
The phased shutdown of T1 is expected to begin from October 25, with redevelopment work scheduled to start in January 2027. The airport operator plans to shift domestic operations progressively rather than close the terminal’s entire operation at once.
The transition is expected to move about five million domestic passengers a year from T1 to T2. This will put additional pressure on T2, making the temporary reduction in international services necessary to create operating capacity.
The redevelopment is expected to transform T1 and improve Mumbai’s airport infrastructure over the longer term. In the immediate period, however, the airport faces the challenge of managing more domestic traffic while continuing international operations from T2.
The changes have also triggered concerns among airlines. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has sought greater coordination between airlines, airport operators and the government during the transition. It has called for clarity around the process, timelines and allocation of airport capacity.
The planned changes also come as Navi Mumbai International Airport prepares to take on a larger role in the region’s aviation network. The new airport is expected to provide additional capacity for the Mumbai metropolitan area and could eventually absorb some services currently operating from Mumbai airport.
However, splitting operations between the two airports has raised practical concerns among some airlines. Air France-KLM, for example, has expressed reservations about dividing its Mumbai services between the two airports, citing operational challenges.
The airport operator has been consulting airlines about their transition plans. MIAL held discussions with carriers in September and asked them to submit details of how they planned to adjust their operations. Airlines have also been asked to identify international departure slots that they would temporarily discontinue.
The process is expected to continue over the coming weeks as carriers finalise their winter schedules. The exact impact on individual routes will depend on the decisions made by each airline and subsequent operational approvals.
Passengers travelling internationally from Mumbai are likely to notice changes in flight frequencies and timings. Some routes could have fewer weekly services, while certain flights may be rescheduled. Travellers with connecting journeys could also see changes to available departure times.
Passengers flying around the October 25 transition date should therefore check their airline’s latest schedule before travelling. Flight information may change as airlines finalise their revised plans.
The scale of the reduction reflects the operational challenge facing one of India’s busiest airports. Mumbai has limited land and terminal capacity, while passenger demand continues to remain high. Redeveloping T1 requires the airport to temporarily rebalance how its existing terminals are used.
The long-term objective is to create additional and more modern airport capacity for Mumbai. The redevelopment of T1, combined with the expansion of Navi Mumbai International Airport, is expected to create a larger aviation network for the region.
Until those projects are completed, however, airlines and passengers will have to navigate a period of adjustment. The October 25 changes are likely to be the first major step in that transition, with international flight schedules expected to remain under close review as Mumbai airport prepares for the next phase of redevelopment.