Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) operator and airlines reached an agreement on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, to pursue a phased redevelopment of Terminal 1 (T1), with a joint working group tasked with preparing a detailed implementation strategy within the next two weeks. Critically, existing winter schedule slots will remain undisturbed, addressing a central concern raised by carriers ahead of the meeting.

How the Decision Was Reached

The agreement emerged from a high-level meeting on 13 October attended by Jeet Adani, Arun Bansal, representatives of the Airports of Mumbai (AOC), airline officials, and other airport stakeholders. The discussions centred on two interconnected priorities: the redevelopment of the ageing T1 infrastructure and the planned migration of some flight operations to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA).

A spokesperson for Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) confirmed that the airport management has pledged to minimise operational disruptions and fully honour historical slot allocations throughout the process. 'Joint working group to work over next 2 weeks to come up with a plan for implementation of redevelopment of ageing T1 infrastructure,' read the official statement released after the meeting.

Winter Schedule Slots: Airlines Get Key Assurance

One of the most consequential outcomes of Tuesday's meeting was the management's commitment to keep all existing slots undisturbed during the winter schedule. Slot protection is a commercially sensitive issue for airlines, as any reallocation can disrupt network planning, passenger bookings, and revenue streams. The assurance effectively removes a significant near-term uncertainty for carriers operating out of T1.

Airlines, in turn, have committed to supporting the redevelopment process and traffic-balancing measures. These measures are expected to be phased in from the summer schedule onwards, giving operators adequate time to plan transitions.

Role of Navi Mumbai Airport in Easing Capacity

The NMIA figures prominently in the longer-term strategy. Airport management has assured full support to airlines that choose to shift a portion of their operations to the new facility, which is positioned as a key pressure valve for capacity constraints across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. With CSMIA operating near its limits, NMIA's operationalisation is expected to be a structural relief for both airlines and passengers.

Notably, the Mumbai airport ecosystem has been under sustained capacity stress for several years, with T1 — originally built to handle domestic traffic — increasingly seen as a bottleneck requiring urgent modernisation.

Next Steps and Timeline

Both sides agreed to reconvene on 28 October to review the working group's progress. In the interim, airport management and airline representatives will engage directly with individual carriers' network planning and slot allocation teams to align on operational requirements and work toward a coordinated rollout.

The MIAL spokesperson described the tenor of the meeting positively: 'The meeting ended with a thankful note across both sides and a renewed positive commitment towards development of Mumbai Airport to the standard as is deserved by Mumbaikars.'

The outcome sets the stage for what could become one of the more complex airport redevelopment exercises in India, balancing live operations against the long-overdue upgrade of ageing infrastructure.