Airlines warn of diplomatic fallout over slot cuts

NewsIndia NewsAirlines warn of diplomatic fallout over slot cuts 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.Join conversation InsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig Development 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 Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app. 'Daro Mat': BJP Asks Sonia To Return 51 Cartons Of Nehru's Letters To Edwina Mountbatten, Others Modi Govt Extends Ban On Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation For 5 Years Under UAPA Sonam Wangchuk Under ‘House Arrest’ As Leh Apex Body Seeks To Postpone Winter Polls Dead Fish In Yamuna: BJP Accuses AAP Of Staging Incident, Kejriwal's Party Hits Back Indonesian Woman With Alleged Chinese Links Caught At Sonauli Border With Multiple Indian IDs 'Kashmir Was, Is And Will Be India's': Farooq Abdullah Urges Pakistan To End Terrorism 'Sam Bhai...Gujarati Friend': PM Modi-Sam Pitroda's X Exchange Goes Viral ‘Clean Chit To Gandhi Family’: 1984 Anti-Sikh Riot Victims' Families Burn Sonia’s Memoir ‘Pay ₹7 Crore Or...’: Kejriwal, Daughter Get ‘Death Threat’ From ‘Lawrence Bishnoi Gang Member’ Owaisi, Chandra Shekhar Azad Form Alliance For 2027 UP Polls; SP, Congress React Diljit Dosanjh gives the Latin Grammys a Punjabi fashion plot twist in statement leather vest and pearls From Arijit Singh’s seven-hour music sessions to rejecting Ekta Kapoor’s show; Bigg Boss 20’s Qazi Touqeer shares 6 lesser-known stories from his life Kidney health: 7 foods and drinks that may cause cloudy urine