Mumbai Airport T1 revamp: North Section to be razed from January; MIAL says 91 per cent traffic will remain unaffected

Mumbai International Airport BOM will begin the first phase of Terminal 1 redevelopment in January 2027 with the North Section of Terminal 1B set to be demolished according to a press release issued by Adani Airport Holdings Limited AAHL on SaturdayThe North Section accounts for around onethird of Terminal 1rsquos capacity and its redevelopment will temporarily affect around 5 million passengers a year or roughly 9 per cent of Mumbai Airportrsquos approximately 55 million annual passenger traffic The remaining 91 per cent of passenger traffic will remain unaffected AAHL saidThe phased redevelopment is being undertaken due to safety concerns related to the 60yearold infrastructure The approach will allow the rest of Terminal 1 to continue operating instead of shutting the entire terminal at once the company saidAirlines operating from the affected section will have the option to temporarily shift their services to Navi Mumbai NMI with AAHL supporting the transition The company said the move to Navi Mumbai is temporary and does not represent a permanent transfer of Mumbai Airport trafficldquo91 per cent of Mumbai Airportrsquos passenger traffic will remain unaffected even as we undertake redevelopment of the ageold infrastructure that was in urgent need of repairs Only the North Section of Terminal 1B which accounts for around onethird of T1 of Mumbai Airportrsquos capacity is being demolished in Phase 1 to minimise passenger inconvenience and operational disruption The transition to Navi Mumbai Airport is temporary and does not represent a permanent shift of Mumbai Airport trafficrdquo said Arun Bansal CEO Adani Airport Holdings LimitedThe announcement comes after Mumbai Airport had earlier said Terminal 1 operations would begin phasing out from October 25 ahead of the redevelopment As reported by midday the phaseout will take place gradually with airlines deciding whether to move operations to available slots at Terminal 2 or temporarily shift them to Navi Mumbai Passengers with bookings after October 25 are to be informed by their respective airlines about any changesMumbai Airport T1 capacity to rise by 33 per centTerminal 1 currently handles around 15 million passengers per annum mppa The redevelopment is expected to increase its capacity by 33 per cent to 20 mppa according to AAHLThe company said safety concerns surrounding Terminal 1 had become more pronounced following a fire incident at the terminal in April 2026 Extensive consultations with airlines on the future of Terminal 1 have been ongoing since 2020 with the proposed redevelopment also presented to the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority AERA and subsequently incorporated into the approved tariff frameworkldquoExtensive consultations with airlines on the future of Terminal 1 have been ongoing since 2020 and the proposed redevelopment was also presented before AERA and subsequently incorporated into the approved tariff framework While we appreciate the concerns expressed by certain airlines passenger safety must remain paramount and any further delay in commencing this process could adversely impact the safety and convenience of millions of travellersrdquo Bansal saidOnce the redevelopment is completed Mumbai Airport will restore all historical slots and provide additional slots for airlines AAHL saidNavi Mumbai Airport to support temporary shiftNavi Mumbai is offering a 100 per cent discount on landing fees for new international flights The airport also plans to offer cash vouchers to international passengers to offset the difference in User Development Fee UDF between Navi Mumbai and Mumbai airportsAAHL said Navi Mumbai is a modern fully equipped airport with the infrastructure and capacity to handle additional passenger traffic that would be transitioned from Mumbai AirportldquoIts availability makes it possible to undertake the redevelopment of T1 of Mumbai Airport in phases instead of shutting down the entire terminal and causing greater disruption to passengers and airlinesrdquo Bansal saidAAHL said Mumbai International Airport BOM and Navi Mumbai NMI are complementary for Indiarsquos commercial capital region