Mumbai: Mumbai airport on Thursday refuted the allegations of International Air Transport Association (IATA), saying that the decision to suspend cargo flights and reallocate slots from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai airport were done following a “‘transparent, consultative, and regulator-driven process.”
“These operational changes are part of a broader infrastructure upgrade initiative governed by the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA) as part of the Fourth Control Period review. Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) actively engaged with stakeholders at every stage of the process,” the MIAL said. “An Airport User Consultative Committee meeting was held on 13 March, where MIAL outlined its five-year development plan, including proposed airside improvements. AERA conducted a public hearing on 25 March, attended by major stakeholders, including airlines, cargo operators, industry associations, and IATA,” it said, adding that AERA’s consultation paper on tariff and development plans was published on 10 March, with stakeholder comments accepted through 16 April and counter-comments through 26 April.

“This sequence of structured engagement clearly demonstrates that MIAL did not act unilaterally but in full compliance with national regulatory frameworks and through open consultation,” the MIAL said. Airline sources said that the AERA discussions were not the same as slot consultations. “During these discussions MIAL didn’t reveal that airlines will lose their historic slots. They also didn’t reveal that freighters will be suspended from Aug 16,” said an airline official.
Earlier, John Middleton, IATA’s head for worldwide airport slots, said the Airlines trade body was surprised and deeply disappointed that MIAL had informed airlines of a seemingly permanent withdrawal of historic slots for passenger airlines beginning next season.