Gulf airlines outraged by Adani's proposal to reduce Mumbai airport capacity

Major Gulf carriers, including Gulf Air and Saudia, have opposed a proposal by Adani Airport Holdings to reduce capacity at Mumbai airport and shift a significant portion of international operations to the Navi Mumbai airport. According to a report by Mint, this dispute could now reach regulators, diplomats, and the respective governments.

At the centre of the dispute are long-allocated flight slots. Both airlines firmly believe that Adani has no right to unilaterally cancel historical slot allocations. Gulf Air and Saudia have warned that they may take their case to the civil aviation authorities of India, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. Gulf Air suggested that if a resolution is not reached, they may take retaliatory measures, which could put pressure on the slots of Indian airlines abroad under various bilateral air service agreements.

Saudia Airlines expressed further concern regarding the timing of the slot reduction. The company stated that this sudden reduction could pose a major threat to the traffic for the annual Hajj and the year-round Umrah pilgrimages. Mumbai is a primary departure hub in India for Muslims travelling to Mecca. According to government data, approximately 15% of India's 1,75,000 Hajj pilgrims in 2026, meaning over 26,000 people, departed from Mumbai.

On the other hand, the Adani Group maintains that reducing capacity to divert traffic to the Navi Mumbai airport is a necessary operational decision to address severe congestion in Mumbai and in preparation for major redevelopment of the terminal. Navi Mumbai airport is located 50 km away from the existing Mumbai airport.

In an email sent last week, Gulf Air stated, "MIAL cannot unilaterally reduce airport capacity, ignore established historical slot rights, or force Gulf Air to vacate its current operational positions based on a redevelopment plan." The airline further added that if a satisfactory response is not received, they will officially take the matter to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA, Bahrain Civil Aviation Affairs, and IATA.

Gulf Air operates flights from Mumbai twice a day. The company believes that this decision will push all its international operations out of Terminal 2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Consequently, it has asked MIAL for a copy of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) approval for the capacity reduction, the criteria for which airlines and slots will be affected, and a clarification on the necessity of further reductions.

Saudia Airlines has also raised questions regarding the process, logic, and transparency of this reduction. Saudia stated via email, "More importantly, this decision will have a direct impact on Hajj and Umrah operations from India. As the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, Saudia plays a vital role in facilitating the movement of pilgrims between India and the Kingdom."

According to the guidelines of India's Hajj Committee, the 2027 Hajj charter flights are scheduled from April 8 to May 9, and the proposed number of pilgrims from the country is 1,75,025. The Umrah pilgrimage operates throughout the year, separately from Hajj.

Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) is a joint venture between Adani Airport and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).