Airlines affected by proposed international slot reductions at Mumbai Airport are being advised to engage in consultations (Representative image)
MUMBAI: Airlines affected by the proposed reduction in international slots at Mumbai terminal 2 can invoke the principles laid down in the ministry of civil aviation’s Slot Allocation Guidelines, the Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines (WASG) and best-practice airport planning guidelines, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Wednesday. The IATA comment came a day after the civil aviation ministry asked Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) to defer its proposed transition plan to shift 265 of Mumbai airport T2’s 770 weekly internaitonal departures to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). The decision followed a meeting on October 6 between the ministry, MIAL, NMIA and airlines, after carriers objected to the proposed reduction and relocation of flights. MIAL had earlier asked airlines to identify by October 6 the internaitonal slots they would temporarily give up or shift to NMIA by October 25. Following the meeting, the ministry asked MIAL to re-engage with airlines before coming back with a revised plan for the redevelopment of terminal 1.
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“We thank the ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) for its intervention, and welcome its decision that the airport operator defer its current proposal and re-engage with all stakeholders before returning with a revised and collaborative transition approach for T1 redevelopment,” said Albert Tjoeng, Head, Corporate Communications, IATA. IATA said it supports the redevelopment of T1 as well as the development of NMIA, but its concern is with the manner in which the transition is planned. “However, any significant reduction in airport capacity or other measure impacting airline operations should be based on a transparent demand-capacity assessment, meaningful consultation with affected airlines, and sufficient time to develop workable transition arrangements that minimize disruption to airlines and their passengers,” Tjoeng said. “The key thing is to reach an agreement on the revised approach among all parties, MIAL and airlines operating at Mumbai Airport, through consultation,” Tjoeng said. IATA said it has consistently supported the redevelopment of T1, the modernisation of Mumbai airport and the development of NMIA, all of which it considers important to the long-term growth of aviation and international connectivity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
These require a transparent assessment of demand and capacity, meaningful consultation with affected airlines and adequate time to work out transition arrangements that minimise disruption to airlines and passengers. Download the TOI App.
“The discussion now provides an opportunity for stakeholders using the airport to review the underlying capacity requirements, understand the basis of any proposed capacity reduction, examine alternatives that may mitigate such reductions, and work collaboratively on a transition plan that protects passenger interests, airline operations and the international connectivity of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region,” IATA said. The airlines’ trade body gave airlines three clear points on which to engage MIAL and the ministry: establish the actual demand-capacity requirement at Mumbai airport, understand the basis for any proposed reduction in capacity, and examine whether alternatives can reduce the impact on airline operations. The association also stressed that the revised transition plan should not be a unilateral decision by the airport operator but should emerge from consultation between MIAL and the airlines.