MUMBAI: Some foreign airlines facing relocation from Mumbai airport have threatened reciprocal measures under bilateral air services agreements if Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) denies them historical slots for the summer 2027 schedule. Last week, MIAL decided to cut slots for airlines serving 14 destinations as part of a capacity-reduction plan linked to T1 redevelopment. The move has disproportionately affected West Asian carriers.Four airlines have written separately to MIAL and the ministry of civil aviation (MoCA), escalating the dispute to diplomatic channels, said sources. The carriers have sought MoCA intervention and warned of escalation to the govt, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and aviation authorities in their respective countries, including possible reciprocal measures under bilateral agreements.They have questioned why flights to 14 international destinations, mostly in West Asia, were selected for relocation from T2. One letter called the move “highly discriminatory and targeted towards” West Asia markets”, while excluding Dubai and Abu Dhabi without justification. The 14 destinations are Bahrain, Dammam, Dhaka, Doha, Fujairah, Jakarta, Jeddah, Kathmandu, Kuwait City, Madinah, Muscat, Ras Al Khaimah, Riyadh and Sharjah.
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The airlines have also questioned the regulatory basis and methodology for the capacity cut, seeking a copy of any MoCA approval for the cited 5 million passengers per annum reduction and denial of historical slots. Arguing that redevelopment cannot override established historical slot entitlements, they asked: “On what authority does MIAL propose to decline summer 2027 historical slots?” They have demanded written confirmation that their S27 slots will be honoured without unilateral reduction or cancellation.MIAL’s capacity-reduction plan is linked to the redevelopment of Terminal 1, which will eventually require passenger traffic to be redistributed between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports. tnn