Adani wanted a third of Mumbai's international flights moved to Navi Mumbai. Airlines said no

Mumbai's airport operator wants to tear down part of its oldest terminal. To make room for the displaced domestic flyers, it planned to push about a third of the international flights at Mumbai airport (BOM) to the new Navi Mumbai airport (NMI) by Oct. 25. Airlines pushed back hard, and India's aviation ministry has now told the operator to slow down.

If you fly in or out of Mumbai this winter, here is what is confirmed, what is still in play, and what it could mean for your lounge time.

What Adani announced

On Oct. 3, Adani Airport Holdings said its Mumbai unit, MIAL, will redevelop the North section of Terminal 1B. The company cites safety concerns about the 60-year-old building. It also points to a fire at Terminal 1 in April. Work is set to start in January 2027, according to Adani's announcement.

Adani says the North section is about a third of Terminal 1's capacity. It says about 5 million of Mumbai's roughly 55 million yearly passengers will be affected for now. That is about 9%. The company says 91% of traffic will not be touched.

Adani says airlines can move flights to Navi Mumbai "at their discretion" and calls the move temporary. To sweeten it, Navi Mumbai is offering a 100% discount on landing fees for new international flights. It also plans cash vouchers for international passengers to cover the gap in user fees between the two airports.

Once rebuilt, Adani says Terminal 1 will handle up to 20 million passengers a year, up from 15 million. It says airlines will get back their old slots, plus more.

The catch: international flights

The release talks about Terminal 1. But the bigger fight is over Terminal 2, where all of Mumbai's international flights now operate.

Here is the logic, as reported by Business Standard. About 5 million domestic passengers a year must leave Terminal 1. MIAL wants to move them into Terminal 2. To free up room there, it proposed cutting 265 of the 770 weekly international departures at Terminal 2 and shifting them to Navi Mumbai by Oct. 25.

Airlines did not take it quietly. The Airline Operators Committee asked MIAL how it came up with the one-third figure. It asked for the data behind it and for records of the consultations Adani says date back to 2020. The airlines noted that 2020 was the pandemic, and that Adani only took over Mumbai airport in mid-2021. They also said Terminal 1 handles about 10 million passengers a year against a stated capacity of 15 million. Their message, per Business Standard: no changes to their flights or slots without data, a detailed plan, and real consultation.

The government stepped in

On Oct. 6, the Ministry of Civil Aviation asked MIAL to defer the current transition plan, according to Business Standard, citing sources. MIAL must now call a meeting of airlines and other parties and work out a plan they agree to. That plan then needs ministry approval as part of the airport's development plan.

So the Oct. 25 deadline looks dead for now. The January 2027 start for Terminal 1 work has not been withdrawn.

What it means for lounge travelers

Nothing changes today. Your flight leaves from the terminal on your ticket. But keep an eye on three things.

Your departure airport could change. If your international flight moves to Navi Mumbai, you will be leaving from a different airport, with its own drive and its own check-in. Check your booking and your airline's emails before you go. Navi Mumbai has only been open since Dec. 25, 2025. It began international flights on July 15, 2026.

Lounges at Navi Mumbai are an open question. Adani's release does not mention lounges at either airport. Lounge Frog does not yet list any lounges at Navi Mumbai. If your flight moves there, do not assume your card's lounge access moves with it.

Terminal 2 may get more crowded. Moving domestic flyers into Terminal 2 means more people in a terminal that already hosts Mumbai's best-rated lounges. Those include Adani Lounge East and the domestic Loyalty lounge, both open to Priority Pass members. More passengers usually means more people at the lounge door. See every option on our Terminal 2 lounge page.

Terminal 1 flyers should also watch the Adani Lounge T1B. Adani has not said whether that lounge sits in the North section slated for demolition.

Our take

Adani's case on safety is serious, and an old terminal after a fire is not something to wave away. But asking airlines to move a third of a terminal's international flights to a different airport by Oct. 25 is a big ask. That is especially true when the same company runs both airports and stands to fill its new one. The ministry's pause looks like the right call. Travelers deserve a plan that is published, with dates, before their flights get moved.