Govt directs Mumbai Airport to cut flights, limit business jet movements to address congestion concerns

livemint.com:

Mumbai Airport to reduce scheduled flights and restrict the movement of business jets during peak hours, aiming to alleviate congestion and improve on-time departures, the Economic Times reported. The decision is expected to impact around 40 flights and disrupt the operations of private jets frequently used by top business houses in the country. The Airport Authority of India (AAI), responsible for air navigation services, has directed the airport to decrease aircraft movement from 46 to 44 during rush hours and from 44 to 42 during non-peak hours.

This directive will lead to the reduction of approximately 40 flights, with IndiGo facing the highest cut of 18 flights and the Air India group, including Vistara, having to cut 17 flights, sources told the paper. Simultaneously, the curfew on the operation of business jets has been extended from four hours to eight hours. This move has prompted protests from major corporate groups such as Reliance Industries, JSW, and the Mahindra group.

Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), the airport operator owned by the Adani group, did not comment, the report added. The decision to reduce flights and extend the business jet curfew comes after Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia expressed concerns about the declining on-time departure performance at the airport. Senior air traffic controllers attribute delays primarily to overscheduling by airlines amid a surge in demand for air travel.