MUMBAI- Mumbai International Airport (BOM) is moving ahead with the phased redevelopment of Terminal 1, with the first major shutdown planned for January 2027. The project will require airlines to adjust operations across Mumbai and the wider airport network.
Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMI) is expected to play a key role in absorbing part of the traffic during the transition. However, airlines have not uniformly committed to shifting their existing international operations from Mumbai Terminal 2 to Navi Mumbai.
Mumbai Airport T1 Redevelopment Faces Airline Relocation Uncertainty
Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) plans to proceed with the phased closure and redevelopment of Terminal 1 despite uncertainty over the full implementation of its traffic realignment plan.
The redevelopment is expected to begin with the demolition of the North Section of Terminal 1-B from January 15, 2027.
The redevelopment will temporarily reduce capacity at Mumbai’s airport. MIAL has therefore been working with airlines to redistribute flights between Terminal 2, Navi Mumbai International Airport, and other airports where required, CNBCTV18 reported.
Airlines Yet to Fully Commit to Navi Mumbai Shift
Adani Airports CEO Arun Bansal has said airlines cannot be forced to operate from a particular airport. The decision to shift services to Navi Mumbai remains with individual carriers based on their operational and commercial requirements.
The issue is particularly relevant because the traffic realignment plan calls for a significant portion of international air traffic to move from Mumbai Airport to Navi Mumbai International Airport from October 2026. Reports have indicated that at least one-third of international air traffic movements are planned to shift from October 1.
Airline decisions remain important because the transition involves more than airport capacity. Passenger demand, ground access, connectivity, and schedule planning can affect whether carriers move existing services or modify their operations during the redevelopment period.
Terminal 1 Demolition Timeline Remains Fixed
MIAL has indicated that the Terminal 1 redevelopment cannot be indefinitely delayed. The first phase is designed to limit the immediate impact by taking the North Section of Terminal 1-B offline, covering capacity associated with roughly 5 million passengers per year.
The phased approach is intended to allow airport operations to continue while construction progresses. Further capacity reductions are expected as subsequent redevelopment stages are implemented.
Bansal has maintained that airlines have had sufficient advance notice to plan their operational changes. The airport operator’s position is that the redevelopment schedule must proceed while airlines determine how they will accommodate affected passengers and flights.
Navi Mumbai Becomes a Key Part of the Transition
Navi Mumbai International Airport has been assigned the IATA code NMI, while Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport uses BOM. The two airports serve the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and are expected to operate as complementary facilities as aviation demand grows.
The traffic redistribution plan gives Navi Mumbai an important role in reducing pressure on Mumbai Airport during the Terminal 1 redevelopment. Recent reports have described plans to move at least one-third of international air traffic movements to Navi Mumbai from October 1, followed by additional changes involving Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
However, the planned traffic movement and the actual airline schedules are separate matters. Airport authorities can establish an operating framework, but individual airlines must make the final decisions concerning their services.
Passenger Capacity Must Be Reallocated
Terminal 1 currently handles a substantial volume of passenger traffic, and its phased closure will require that capacity to be accommodated elsewhere.
MIAL has described the first redevelopment phase as covering approximately 5 million passengers per annum. Terminal 2, Navi Mumbai International Airport and potentially other airports can provide alternative capacity depending on airline schedules and available infrastructure.
For passengers, the changes could mean that flights serving the Mumbai region operate from a different airport or terminal during the redevelopment period. Airlines will therefore have an important role in communicating revised departure locations and schedules.
What the October 2026 Realignment Means
The immediate focus is the planned October traffic adjustment. At least one-third of international air traffic movements are expected to shift from Mumbai Airport to Navi Mumbai International Airport as part of the transition plan.
The final scale of the change will depend on airline implementation. The airport operator has made clear that it will proceed with the Terminal 1 redevelopment, while airlines retain control over where they operate their services.
This creates two parallel timelines: MIAL’s fixed redevelopment schedule and the airlines’ operational decisions. The interaction between these timelines will determine how smoothly Mumbai’s airport network manages the loss of Terminal 1 capacity.
What Happens Next
The next major milestones are the October 2026 traffic realignment and the January 2027 start of the first major Terminal 1 demolition phase.
The airport operator will continue with the redevelopment schedule, while airlines will determine how their international and domestic operations fit within the revised airport network. The outcome will establish how much traffic moves to Navi Mumbai and how much remains at Mumbai Airport during the redevelopment.
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