Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) will launch commercial operations on December 25, easing the crush at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport with 23 daily departures in the first phase. Adani Group’s Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIAL), holding 74% stake with CIDCO owning the rest, picked Christmas for the quiet launch to iron out kinks smoothly.​ Peak-hour flights shift over early to cut congestion at the old airport, with NMIA running 8 am to 8 pm initially and up to 10 aircraft movements hourly. The airport handles 30 flights daily at launch—eight per hour—before hitting 24-30 by February, with 200 stores inside. Star Air jumps in as the first regional carrier December 25, flying Embraer 175s to Ahmedabad, Goa, Bengaluru, and Nanded, some with stops. Digital backbone promises online check-ins, smart baggage, and fluid flows, positioning NMIA as a global multi-airport player.​Christmas Launch Eases Mumbai Air Squeeze:The main airport in Mumbai is overcrowded, causing delays on all routes.

Source: Hindustan Times December 22, 2025 23:20 UTC