The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for consultation and transparency in preparing a revised plan for the partial transfer of international flights from Mumbai airport to Navi Mumbai International Airport. The appeal followed a meeting between the airport operator, airlines and the civil aviation ministry on Tuesday.

Adani Airport Holdings, which operates Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports, had asked carriers to cut 33 per cent of their international services at Mumbai or discontinue them from October 25. Airlines opposed the proposal, which is linked to the planned redevelopment of Terminal 1 (T1) at Mumbai airport from January 2027.

The ministry has proposed deferring the shift by a few weeks and asked airlines and the operator to submit a firm transition plan. Representatives of the parties are scheduled to meet on October 13. IATA said any revised approach should be agreed through consultation, after stakeholders assess capacity requirements, the basis for any reduction and alternatives to limit disruption to passengers and airline operations.

IATA represents more than 370 airlines, including Indian carriers, and said it supports T1 redevelopment, modernisation of Mumbai airport and development of Navi Mumbai International Airport. It said decisions affecting capacity should rely on a transparent demand-capacity assessment, meaningful consultation with affected airlines and adequate time for workable arrangements. These principles are reflected in Ministry of Civil Aviation slot allocation guidelines and worldwide airport slot guidance.

Mumbai airport has two terminals, with T1 handling domestic operations and T2 serving international flights. Mumbai International Airport (MIAL) communicated to 46 airlines that 265 weekly overseas services would be temporarily discontinued from the start of the winter schedule on October 25, compared with 770 weekly international flights currently operated from T2. The vacated slots are intended to support the transition of domestic traffic from T1. Adani Airport Holdings said 91 per cent of passenger traffic would remain unaffected, while redevelopment would raise T1 capacity from 15 mn to 20 mn passengers per annum.