The Mumbai Airport has received instructions from the government to reduce the number of scheduled flights and restrict the movement of business jets during peak hours in an effort to ease congestion and improve on-time departures, as reported by the Economic Times. This directive is anticipated to affect approximately 40 flights and disrupt the operations of private jets commonly used by prominent business entities across the country.
The Airport Authority of India (AAI), which oversees air navigation services, has mandated the airport to decrease aircraft movement from 46 to 44 during peak hours and from 44 to 42 during non-peak hours. This reduction in scheduled flights is expected to result in approximately 40 fewer flights, with IndiGo and the Air India group, including Vistara, facing the highest cuts of 18 and 17 flights, respectively, according to sources cited in the report.
In parallel, the curfew on the operation of business jets has been extended from four hours to eight hours, sparking protests from major corporate entities such as Reliance Industries, JSW, and the Mahindra group. Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), the airport operator owned by the Adani group, refrained from commenting on the matter, the report added.
The decision to reduce flights and extend the curfew on business jets comes in response to concerns raised by Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia regarding the declining on-time departure performance at the airport.
Senior air traffic controllers attribute the delays primarily to overscheduling by airlines amid a surge in air travel demand. Government officials underscored that factors such as infrastructure availability and unscheduled movements, including those of government and business aircraft, also contribute to delays, according to the report.
Rajesh Bali, Managing Director of the Business Aircraft Operator Association, expressed that the additional restrictions on business jets would significantly hinder business aviation operations, impacting Mumbai’s role as the nation’s commercial hub.
Airline network planners raised concerns about the abrupt flight cancellations, anticipating challenges in redeploying aircraft and potential financial losses. Moreover, they foresee significant compensation payouts to affected passengers as a result of the flight reductions.
The government’s decision reflects the broader challenges faced by airports nationwide due to increased air traffic post-Covid. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has mandated that any addition of new flights must take into account the passenger-handling capacity at security checkpoints, setting standards for the maximum number of passengers handled per hour by X-ray machines on both domestic and international sides.
The measures imposed by the government at Mumbai Airport aim to address congestion issues and enhance operational efficiency, albeit at the cost of disrupting flight schedules and business aviation activities. While these steps may lead to short-term inconveniences for airlines and private jet operators, they are intended to ensure smoother and more reliable air travel experiences for passengers in the long run.
