Mumbai airport's reduction in take-off and touchdown slots has been antagonistic by way of the airlines' alternate body, the worldwide air Shipping Association (IATA).
In an announcement issued on Tuesday, john Middleton, IATA's head for global airport slots, called the "airport's actions deeply disappointing."
final week, mumbai Worldwide airport Ltd. (MIAL) notified airlines of its plan to suspend freighter flights from august 16, in light of Terminal 1 being demolished around the end of October. To account for the reduced terminal potential, 150 slots will be moved from mumbai to Navi mumbai airport.
Airlines from West Asia have been additionally knowledgeable that their slots inside the winter agenda could be reduced, mentioning the development of new taxiways and the deliberate redevelopment of Terminal 1.
Resisting this pass, IATA said that current suggestions on dealing with ability discounts have been neglected, which require consultation and increased notice, instead of the unilateral motion taken in this case.
"IATA is amazed and deeply disenchanted that mumbai international airport constrained knowledgeable airlines from an apparently everlasting withdrawal of historic slots for passenger airlines beginning next season. This is not what one would expect of a prime hub airport in india and will cause long-lasting harm to the airport's popularity and credibility."
IATA, a worldwide airline frame representing 340 providers, additionally hinted at reciprocal effects. "The discriminatory effect on shipment operations and on certain operators additionally increases the specter of reciprocal impact below bilateral air offerings agreements." The assertion in addition alleged that MIAL has failed to adhere to the civil aviation ministry's recommendations for slot allocation, which include its course to hold ancient rights for future seasons.
In its statement, IATA additionally expressed the issue that the airport operator might use this case to stress airways. "We hope adani Airports, because the operator of the two-airport system in mumbai, is not using this situation to stress airways to move their operations to their upcoming Navi mumbai Airport. We fear, but, that this is an example of airport 'ability gaming' so that it will harm aviation in the course of india and past."
IATA advised mumbai airport to right now withdraw those cuts and instead engage with the airline enterprise. "Thus far, there had been zero info on how MIAL will manipulate the potential discount and mitigate the effect," the statement examines. It is also known as the crucial and country governments to make certain that airport-operator-mandated capability reductions are disallowed, as they could disrupt passenger and load operations and adversely affect Mumbai's air connectivity.
MIAL refuted IATA's assertions in a declaration on Thursday.
It specifies the conferences held concerning slot selections. "Contrary to the claims made via IATA, the latest modifications to cargo operations and slot allocations at Chhatrapati shivaji Maharaj international airport (CSMIA) have accompanied an obvious, consultative, and regulator-driven technique. Those operational adjustments are part of a broader infrastructure improvement initiative governed by the Airports Financial Regulatory Authority of india (AERA) as a part of the Fourth Manage Duration Review".
MIAL said it has actively engaged with stakeholders at each level of the process:
An airport Consumer Consultative Committee (AUCC) meeting was held on thirteen march 2024, wherein MIAL outlined its five-year improvement plan, inclusive of proposed airside upgrades.
AERA performed a public hearing on 25 march 2025, attended by the main stakeholders together with airways, shipment operators, enterprise institutions, and IATA.
AERA's consultation Paper No. 08/2024-25 on tariff and development plans was posted on 10 march 2025, with stakeholder feedback due by 16 april 2025 and counter-feedback due by 26 april 2025.
This collection of established engagement, MIAL said, genuinely demonstrates that it has now not acted unilaterally, but in full compliance with countrywide regulatory frameworks and via open consultation.
The infrastructure trends underway—consisting of the construction of a parallel taxiway for Runway 14/32—require the transient relocation of sure cargo centers. These sports, MIAL stated, have been disclosed and mentioned during the AERA consultation system and are a part of the grasp Plan submitted to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), with inputs from more than one stakeholder.
Rejecting insinuations that MIAL or adani Airports is the usage of these operational adjustments to stress airlines to shift to Navi mumbai Worldwide airport (NMIA), the declaration added:
"NMIA is a nationally enormous infrastructure mission, anticipated in 1997 and below development considering the fact that 2018 consumer consultations for NMIA's master planning have been held since march 2018, with participation from airways and IATA. airlines have complete autonomy over community making plans, and there has been no strive—either direct or oblique—to influence site visitors from CSMIA to NMIA.
MIAL continues to admire worldwide excellent practices, consisting of the guidelines issued through the worldwide airport Slot Board (WASB), and remains devoted to maintaining honest and equitable coordination with all stakeholders.
The operational rebalancing underway is a strategic step aligned with the long-term growth of the mumbai Metropolitan location's aviation infrastructure. It pursues to decorate protection, reduce congestion, and destiny-proof potential for both passengers and cargo, in line with India's national development goals."
Finally, MIAL urged IATA to adopt a collaborative approach: "We urge IATA to avoid unsubstantiated assertions and, instead, collaborate with us constructively to support India's aviation environment. MIAL stays devoted to talk, transparency, and excellence in service transport as we increase Mumbai's stature as India's finest worldwide gateway."
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