MUMBAI: After nearly 30 years since the ambitious project was initiated to alleviate congestion at Mumbai’s current airport, the Navi Mumbai International Airport was officially inaugurated on Thursday. An IndiGo Airbus A320 arriving from Bengaluru touched down at 8 am, greeted with a ceremonial water cannon salute.
Commercial flight operations mark a significant expansion of Mumbai’s aviation capabilities and a pivotal milestone in India’s infrastructure development.
Now operational, Mumbai joins major global aviation hubs such as London, New York, Moscow, Tokyo, and Shanghai, each served by multiple airports to accommodate increasing demand, according to Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIA).
The inauguration signifies the beginning of a comprehensive multi-airport system for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), designed for growth, resilience, and future needs.
The first arrival, flight 6E 460, was promptly followed by the airport’s inaugural departure, IndiGo flight 6E 882 to Hyderabad at 8:40 am, marking a successful first cycle of flight operations.
Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, welcomed passengers from the inaugural flight and engaged with airport staff, frontline workers, and first-time flyers.
Adani remarked that welcoming NMIA’s first passengers alongside Param Vir Chakra awardees was a reflection of India’s current transformational phase. He emphasized the day as a testimony to “a nation advancing with confidence and compassion.” He added that “NMIA embodies the potential of what can be achieved when ambition is matched with purpose and executed expeditiously.”
“Everything about the airport is excellent, particularly the personal welcome from (Gautam) Adani ji…He invited us here. We are thrilled,” stated Ram Prasad, who traveled with his 7-year-old daughter, Sai Prateeksha, specifically for the inaugural flight.
Prasad, a Bengaluru resident, expressed excitement about being the first passenger to disembark, with his daughter proudly holding a model airplane as a souvenir.
Later, Adani participated in a ceremonial walk through the departure terminal with airport employees, community representatives, and beneficiaries of the Adani Foundation.
The day’s events culminated in a flag-hoisting ceremony led by Param Vir Chakra awardees Captain Bana Singh and Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar, followed by the national anthem.
Notable attendees included sports figures Suryakumar Yadav, Mithali Raj, and Sunil Chhetri, as well as influencers Malini Agarwal and Viraj Ghelani.
On its opening day, in addition to IndiGo, Tata Group’s Air India Express, Akasa Air, and regional airline Star Air operated 48 flights, connecting nine domestic destinations and serving over 4,000 passengers—with peak traffic occurring between 5:00 and 7:00 am, underscoring strong early demand and operational readiness, according to NMIA.
Initially, the facility will operate for 12 hours daily—from 8 am to 8 pm—with up to 24 scheduled departures to 13 destinations and the capacity to manage up to 10 aircraft movements (arrivals and departures) per hour.
Starting February next year, operations are expected to expand to 24-hour services.
Farmers, families in need, and individuals with disabilities enjoyed their first flight during a special chartered aerial tour of Mumbai. India Post also issued a commemorative First Flight Carried Special Cover featuring the NMIA terminal, flown on an IndiGo service to Goa.
Jeet Adani, Director at Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), stated that NMIA establishes a strong multi-airport framework for the MMR, enhancing capacity, improving passenger experience, and securing future aviation growth.
IndiGo will connect the airport with 13 domestic destinations, including Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Chennai, starting between December 25 and December 30.
The complete project is being developed in various phases by Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIAL), with the Adani Group holding a 74% stake and CIDCO 26%.
Air India Express commenced operations at NMIA with its inaugural flights to Bengaluru and Delhi.
“Navi Mumbai is a crucial component of our dual-airport strategy, complementing our operations in CSMIA, where we connect to 11 domestic and three international locations,” stated Aloke Singh, Managing Director of Air India Express. “Being part of the initial launch reflects our confidence in NMIA’s potential to propel Mumbai’s growth. We aim to enhance our operations, providing dependable, value-driven connectivity coupled with warm Indian hospitality and a modern fleet.”
The opening creates a vital new gateway for a region that has experienced chronic congestion over the past decade. NMIA is a significant development in constructing a distributed aviation framework designed to facilitate Mumbai’s transition to a multi-airport system, aimed at enhancing capacity, operational resilience, and long-term scalability.
