Mumbai: As the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) began commercial operations on Thursday, December 25, passengers aboard the first flight to land at the new airport shared their excitement and pride
at being part of a historic moment in India’s aviation journey.
The first commercial arrival at NMIA was an IndiGo flight, 6E460, from Bengaluru, which touched down at 8 am. The aircraft was welcomed with a ceremonial water cannon salute on the runway, formally marking the start of passenger operations at the much-awaited airport in Ulwe.
Among the passengers was X user Jaideep Kane, who described the experience as special and memorable. “Boarded first-ever flight to Navi Mumbai International Airport 6E460 from BLR,” Kane wrote on X, sharing photographs of the aircraft and his boarding pass, which quickly drew attention online.
Another passenger, Ram Prasad, said he and his family had deliberately booked the flight to experience the new airport. “We came from Bangalore, and we booked this trip specifically to explore the Navi Mumbai airport. First of all, I thank Mr Adani. He came and welcomed all the passengers. I am very happy. Everything is good,” Prasad said, expressing satisfaction with the facilities and overall experience.
Videos of the historic landing also circulated widely on social media. A clip shared by X user Sanjog showed the IndiGo aircraft approaching and landing at NMIA, becoming the first commercial flight to operate at the airport since its inauguration earlier this year.
Earlier in the morning, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani arrived at the Navi Mumbai International Airport to oversee preparations for the launch of operations. NMIA has been developed under a public-private partnership between CIDCO and Adani Airport Holdings Ltd and is expected to significantly reduce congestion at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
To celebrate the commencement of operations, a grand drone show featuring 1,515 drones was organised on the eve of the launch. The synchronised display created striking aerial formations, including 3D lotus blooms, the airport logo, green airport visuals, a plane flying over Mumbai and “Rise of India” imagery, highlighting the scale and ambition of the project.
On the first day, operations began at 8 am with the arrival from Bengaluru, while the first departure, an IndiGo flight to Hyderabad, was scheduled at 8.40 am. NMIA is handling 15 arrivals and 15 departures on day one, despite having the capability to manage up to 10 air traffic movements per hour.
