New Delhi, Oct 6: The Ministry of Civil Aviation has proposed delaying by a few weeks the planned shift of airline operations from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), while seeking detailed transition plans from airlines, ANI reported, citing sources.

The development comes amid preparations for the phased redevelopment of Terminal 1 at CSMIA, which will require changes in the distribution of airline operations between the existing Mumbai airport and the newly operational Navi Mumbai airport.

According to ANI, the ministry has asked airlines to submit a detailed plan to the airport operator outlining how they intend to shift their operations to NMIA. The government is seeking greater clarity on the operational arrangements before finalising the transition schedule.

A consultation meeting involving airlines, airport operator Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) and the Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, is scheduled for October 13 to discuss the proposed transition and work out a detailed plan for shifting passengers and airline operations from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai.
 

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Another meeting is expected to be held in the last week of October to review the discussions and deliberate on the final transition plan, ANI said. The meeting was attended by senior officials of AAHL, Airports Authority of India (AAI), Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) and representatives of several domestic airlines.

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During the meeting, AAHL highlighted NMIA’s preparedness to handle the proposed transition, pointing to the infrastructure and passenger amenities available at the new airport. The airport operator also briefed airlines on connectivity, in-flight catering facilities, hotels, lounges and other support services available for passengers and airline operations.

The meeting, which lasted nearly 90 minutes, also involved discussions between AAHL and airline operators on operational concerns linked to the proposed shift. AAHL officials responded to queries raised by airlines regarding the transition as well as the redevelopment of Terminal 1 at CSMIA, ANI said.

The consultations are part of the government’s efforts to finalise the transition schedule and operational arrangements in coordination with airlines and airport operators. Further discussions are expected over the coming weeks before the final plan is announced. (With ANI inputs)