Emirates to stay at Mumbai airport this winter; says Navi Mumbai not ready

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Airline flags supporting infrastructure needs as MIAL defers proposed cut in international flights

By BL New Delhi Bureau

Updated - October 16, 2026 at 05:31 PM. | New Delhi

Presently, Emirates is the largest foreign passenger carrier from India | Photo Credit: ANN WANG

Dubai-based airline major Emirates will continue operating from Mumbai International Airport during the winter schedule, with Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Senior Vice-President, West Asia & Indian Ocean, Commercial Operations, Emirates, saying Navi Mumbai airport is “not ready” for a shift.

Speaking at an event here to mark the airline’s upcoming launch of A380 aircraft flights to Delhi, Ahmad said catering, cargo warehousing and other supporting facilities would need to be developed before airlines could shift operations to Navi Mumbai.

“At an airport, you will require a facility for catering. You will require a facility, for example, for cargo warehousing,” he said.

According to Ahmad, these facilities are needed to build a complete airport ecosystem. Until then, shifting operations would be difficult for airlines.

Ahmad said the airline would continue operating from Mumbai International Airport during the winter schedule.

However, it would keep an open mind, assess the facilities available at the new airport and then take a decision on any future move.

“When things like that happen, I think we also have to be a bit open-minded, see the airport, see what are the facilities that have been upgraded … and then we take that decision,” he said.

The comments come after Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) agreed not to cut international flights during the winter schedule, following a joint meeting of airlines and senior executives of Adani Airport Holdings Ltd, including its Non-Executive Director Jeet Adani and CEO Arun Bansal.

In a statement, MIAL said airlines were assured of minimal disruption, with historical slot allocations to be respected and no slots to be disturbed during the winter schedule.

The meeting followed the Civil Aviation Ministry’s intervention after airlines opposed an initial proposal to reduce international flights by one-third from October 25. The proposed reduction was linked to plans to redevelop a portion of Terminal 1B from January, which would reduce capacity.

Following the pushback, the flight reduction has been deferred for now. MIAL said a joint working group would prepare a redevelopment implementation plan over the next two weeks, with traffic balancing to begin from the summer schedule.

Airlines were also assured of support for shifting operations to Navi Mumbai. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for October 28.

Potential new market

Besides, Ahmad said Emirates sees a potential new market around Navi Mumbai, given its proximity to the Pune area and a port. However, he linked the airline’s interest in additional operations to the availability of more traffic entitlements.

Presently, Emirates is the largest foreign passenger carrier from India, operating 167 weekly flights across nine Indian cities, including 28 each from Delhi and Mumbai.

Furthermore, Ahmad said the airline is fully utilising its existing entitlements of 67,000 seats per week one-way, and sees strong demand for additional capacity.

He said operations at new airports would require a revision of the air services agreement.

Additional flights and seat entitlements would allow Emirates to examine opportunities at newer airports, he said.

Meanwhile, Emirates’ scheduled daily A380 service to Delhi will begin on October 25, making the capital its third Indian city to receive the aircraft on a scheduled daily service, after Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Additionally, Ahmad said Emirates is expanding its premium economy offering in India as demand for premium travel grows.

In Delhi, the airline will retain its existing 28 weekly flights while introducing the upgraded cabins, with fewer economy-class seats helping accommodate the premium offering within its permitted capacity.

On recovery following the regional conflict, Ahmad said Emirates is operating at 96 per cent of its pre-conflict network, serving 144 destinations compared with nearly 150 earlier.

In addition, passenger loads are recovering and remain close to last year’s levels, he said, without disclosing a figure ahead of the airline’s half-yearly announcement in November.

Published on October 14, 2026

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