Navi Mumbai Airport launches international service with Air India Express to Abu Dhabi | Today’s news
The first international flight from Navi Mumbai International Airport took off on Wednesday morning. Air India Express IX207 departed from Navi Mumbai International Airport at 3:02 AM to the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi. Navi Mumbai airport will also see its first ever international arrival at 10.20 am on Wednesday.
Flight Navi Mumbai – Abu Dhabi
The new route, which will operate three times a week, offers passengers a convenient direct connection to the UAE in West Asia and reflects the coordinated efforts of government agencies, aviation regulators, airline partners and airport stakeholders in establishing NMIA as the second global gateway to the Mumbai metropolitan region, Adani Airports Holding Ltd (AAHL) said.
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International flight services are up and running more than six months after the facility began commercial domestic operations on December 25.
Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is a joint venture between the Adani Group and the government’s city planning and infrastructure development agency CIDCO.
All Adani Group airports now have international flights
Adani Group currently has eight airports in its AAHL portfolio – Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati and Mangaluru.
All eight airports now have international flight services along with domestic operations, “reflecting the rapid expansion of India’s newest greenfield international airport and strengthening connectivity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), home to one of the largest concentrations of people, businesses and economic activity in India,” Adani Group said in a statement.
“The launch of our first scheduled international flight marks the beginning of a new phase in the journey of Navi Mumbai International Airport. We thank all state and central government agencies and stakeholders for their invaluable support in helping us achieve this milestone. We also appreciate Air India Express for partnering with us on this important first international route,” said Arun Bansal, CEO, AAHL.
The inaugural international flight also carries NMIA’s first global export shipment of perishables, making the airport a new gateway for high-value and time-sensitive cargo. The milestone is expected to improve international market access for Indian exporters while strengthening NMIA’s growing cargo capacity, AAHL said.
NMIA currently handles approximately 150 Air Traffic Movements (ATM) per day, connecting 46 domestic destinations.
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The addition of international services further strengthens its role in meeting the aviation needs of MMR and West India, AAHL said.
“As we expand our network to include more airline partners and destinations, our focus remains on providing seamless operations while strengthening Navi Mumbai’s position as the preferred gateway for international travel,” Bansal added.
The Abu Dhabi service is the first of several international routes planned from NMIA, AAHL said, adding that as the airport expands its airline partnerships and destination network, it is poised to play an increasingly important role in strengthening Mumbai’s air capacity while supporting India’s growing international connectivity, trade and tourism.
“We are delighted to commence international operations from Navi Mumbai with direct flights to Abu Dhabi, creating a new convenient gateway to the UAE for travelers from the Mumbai metropolitan region.
