Fix Mumbai airport instead of shifting flights, Thackeray tells Adani

Aaditya Thackeray has pushed back against Adani Airport Holdings Ltd's directive requiring airlines to transfer 33 percent of their international operations from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to the newly operational Navi Mumbai International Airport. The demand, which would fundamentally alter passenger flows across the Mumbai metropolitan region, has drawn criticism from the state's tourism minister, who contends that the existing airport should be the focus of improvement efforts rather than capacity diversion. Thackeray's position reflects broader concerns about forcing both passengers and carriers to adapt to a new facility when infrastructure challenges at the established airport remain unresolved. The Navi Mumbai airport, developed as a greenfield expansion project, was designed to complement rather than compete with CSMIA. Industry observers note that such mandatory flight redistributions can create operational disruptions for airlines and inconvenience travelers accustomed to established routing. The dispute highlights tensions between airport operators' business objectives and regional stakeholders' expectations regarding service continuity at Mumbai's primary aviation hub.