The Morning Brief Adani's Airport Playbook
Dec 30, 2025
Forum Gandhi, an aviation reporter and industry expert from The Economic Times, delves into the groundbreaking launch of Navi Mumbai Airport, a major player in Adani's airport expansion. He shares insights on passenger trends, the challenges of connectivity and service experience, and teething issues impacting early operations. Forum highlights Adani's impressive financial turnaround with significant revenue growth and non-aero retail strategies to enhance passenger experience. The discussion also touches on the future of international flights and the competitive landscape in India's aviation sector.
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Airports As Profit Centers
- Adani's airport arm turned profitable in FY25 driven by traffic, tariff resets and non-aero growth.
- The group treats terminals as commercial platforms, not just transport hubs.
Phased Opening And Capacity
- Navi Mumbai will open in phases with one runway now and capacity for about 20 million passengers in the first phase.
- Full phased completion is targeted around 2029 with 24/7 operations planned by February.
Teething Problems At Launch
- Early users faced slow internet, weak road links and bus-dependent rail shuttles to the terminal.
- Key Ulwe coastal road won’t complete until April 2026, delaying direct access.