The Adani Group-backed Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) commenced commercial flight operations on Thursday, marking a major milestone for India’s
civil aviation sector and significantly expanding air travel capacity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The airport’s first commercial flight -- an IndiGo service from Bengaluru -- touched down at 8 am, becoming the inaugural arrival at the greenfield airport. The aircraft was welcomed with a ceremonial water cannon salute, a traditional aviation gesture to mark the launch of commercial operations, the airport operator said in a statement.
Inaugural arrival and departure completed
Following the first arrival, NMIA recorded its maiden departure with IndiGo flight 6E882 to Hyderabad at 8:40 am, completing the airport’s first commercial arrival-departure cycle.
On the opening day, IndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air and Star Air are operating domestic services, connecting the new airport to nine destinations across the country.
Initial operations and capacity
The airport will handle 15 scheduled departures on the first day. During the initial phase, NMIA will operate for 12 hours -- from 8 am to 8 pm -- with up to 24 scheduled daily departures to 13 destinations.
The facility currently has the capability to manage up to 10 aircraft movements per hour, including arrivals and departures. From February next year, operations are planned to progressively scale up to round-the-clock services.
PM Modi inaugurated NMIA in October
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Navi Mumbai International Airport on October 8 this year, paving the way for the start of commercial operations.
The first phase of the five-phased airport project has been developed at a cost of Rs 19,650 crore.
All you need to know
NMIA is the second airport in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region after Mumbai International Airport and is expected to emerge as one of the busiest aviation hubs in the country. Spread across more than 1,160 hectares (2,866 acres), the airport is being developed with long-term capacity and sustainability at its core.
Once fully completed, Navi Mumbai International Airport is designed to handle 90 million passengers per annum (MPPA). The project will feature two parallel runways, modern terminal buildings and advanced cargo facilities aimed at ensuring a seamless passenger experience and efficient cargo handling.
In the initial phase of operations, NMIA will have the capacity to manage 20 million passengers per annum and 0.5 million metric tonnes of cargo annually. The drone spectacle, signalling that “vision took flight,” has added to the growing anticipation around the airport’s launch and its role in shaping the next chapter of India’s aviation growth.
