Upcoming Changes at Mumbai Airport

Starting May, passengers departing from Mumbai airport might notice an increase in their travel costs. The Adani-operated airport has proposed a new fee structure, introducing a ₹325 charge for domestic flights and raising international passenger charges to ₹650. This move is part of a broader plan to fund significant infrastructure enhancements at the airport.

Reduced Aircraft Fees

In a bid to balance the financial impact on passengers, airport authorities have suggested a nearly 35% reduction in aircraft landing and parking fees. This adjustment aims to make the overall increase in travel costs more manageable for travelers.

Infrastructure Investments

The proposed fee adjustments are essential for the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport's ambitious ₹10,000 crore infrastructure enhancement plan. Key projects include the construction of a new domestic terminal, expansion of Terminal 2 for international flights, development of new taxiways, and runway capacity improvements.

Arun Bansal, CEO of Adani Airport Holdings, emphasized the need for these upgrades, stating, "T1 is a very old infrastructure. We are going to completely rebuild it, adding both physical and digital infrastructure to enhance passenger convenience."

Impact on Ticket Prices

Bansal explained that by distributing the costs between passengers and airlines, the airport's approach would lead to a minimal rise in ticket prices. He anticipates that the passenger yield increase from ₹285 to ₹325 will result in less than a 1% rise in the final ticket cost.

Future Plans

The domestic Terminal 1 at Mumbai airport is scheduled for reconstruction starting November, with the project expected to last three years. The new terminal, set to be operational by 2028-2029, will increase passenger handling capacity by 42%, accommodating up to 20 million travelers annually.