Mumbai airport to suspend freighter flights for runway, apron work

Mumbai’s primary airport, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), has announced a temporary suspension of dedicated freighter operations from August 2026 through May 2027.

In an official letter to its cargo partners, Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), which manages, operates, and develops CSMIA, stated that the airport will undertake re-carpeting of the main runway (RW 09/27) in the foreseeable future. This work will result in the closure of Runway 09/27 for most parts of the day.

Additionally, the airport will construct Taxiway “E” parallel to Runway 14 to eliminate aircraft crossings on the active Runway 14/32. Once commissioned, this taxiway is expected to significantly improve the capacity of Runway 14/32, bringing it in line with that of Runway 09/27. The project will require the demolition of existing cargo infrastructure.

The letter further mentioned that Apron “G” has reached the end of its operational life and will undergo complete pavement reconstruction. As a result, Apron “G” will be unavailable for operations from August 2026 to May 2027.

Freighter operations are exclusive to Apron “G,” and no alternative apron is feasible due to continuous passenger flight operations and space constraints. Consequently, dedicated freighter operations will not be possible during this period.

With Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) set to begin commercial operations on 25th December, and equipped with the necessary cargo infrastructure, freighter operations are expected to be shifted there, sources confirmed to The STAT Trade Times.

Notably, CSMIA is regarded as the world’s busiest single-runway airport. Although it has two runways, only one can be operational at a time due to the intersection between them, meaning most aircraft movements are handled on a single runway. Runway 09/27 is approximately 3,445 metres long, while the other runway, 14/32, is about 2,925 metres in length.

Due to the intersecting runway configuration at CSMIA, aircraft landing on the primary Runway 09/27 typically vacate via a Rapid Exit Taxiway (RET) and are then required to cross the Runway 14/32 intersection. This crossing is mandatory for all commercial passenger and freighter traffic taxiing to Terminal 2 (T2) or the freighter parking stands at Apron “G,” as these facilities are located north of the intersection.

This is not MIAL’s first announcement regarding the suspension of freighter operations at CSMIA. In April earlier this year, the airport announced that it would suspend freighter operations due to upgrade work, including the construction of new taxiways for Runway 14/32 to enhance capacity and improve operational efficiency. The suspension was originally scheduled to begin on 16 August 2025 and continue until further notice.

Subsequently, Adani Airport Holding Limited (AAHL) issued a notice inviting cargo partners to shift their operations to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) from 16 August 2025. The notice also requested cargo operators to confirm their intent to commence operations at NMIA by 5 May 2025.

The move also drew criticism from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which criticised MIAL over the proposed shift of freighter services to NMIA. MIAL later responded to IATA’s concerns.

However, the decision to suspend freighter operations was later reversed.