Mumbai Airport to allow freighter operations beyond August deadline

In a major development, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai has reversed its earlier decision to suspend freighter operations starting 16 August 2025 until further notice.

The airport, in a statement to The STAT Trade Times, said, “The matter has been solved amicably and the slots have been reinstated.”

Notably, this development was also referenced by Amitabh Khosla, Country Director, India, Nepal, and Bhutan, International Air Transport Association (IATA), during a media briefing on the Indian aviation market on the first day of the 81st IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in New Delhi.

He said, “We commend MIAL (Mumbai International Airport Limited) for continuing to respect airline historics at the airport, as well as for accepting cargo operations beyond the August (16 August 2025) deadline that was initially announced. We also commend MIAL for setting up the first such coordination committee for Mumbai Airport. This was particularly important to manage issues arising from the temporary closure of Terminal 1.”

Notably, tensions arose between IATA and Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) following this announcement. IATA had earlier expressed surprise and deep disappointment over MIAL’s unilateral decision to cease freighter flights. IATA had immediately called for the formation of a coordination committee at Mumbai Airport to facilitate consultations and establish transparent communication between the airport and airlines. In a later statement, MIAL had also responded to IATA’s allegations by expressing strong disappointment over the criticism.

Adani Airport Holding Limited (AAHL) had informed cargo partners about shifting freighter operations to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), with services set to start on 16 August 2025, the same day operations at Mumbai’s CSMIA were scheduled to end.

Navi Mumbai International Airport has secured agreements with two Indian carriers, IndiGo and Akasa Air, to begin operations. However, no dedicated cargo airline has committed to the airport so far.

During the media briefing, Khosla also raised two key concerns regarding recent regulatory developments. First, he noted a request from the Mumbai airport operator to combine the tariff determination for both Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports. However, he said both IATA and the airlines oppose this approach, arguing that each airport should be assessed independently under the governing legislation. Second, he referred to a proposal by some airport operators, shared in some forums, to extend the current regulatory control period from five to ten years. Khosla stressed that such an extension would not align with the new consumer interest framework.

This story was originally published in The STAT Trade Times.