Navi Mumbai Airport Soars: Commercial Flights Begin, Boosts MMR Connectivity

• Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) commenced commercial flight operations on Thursday, marking a significant milestone for India's aviation sector.
• The first flight, IndiGo from Bengaluru, landed at 8 am, followed by the first departure to Hyderabad at 8:40 am.
• Initially, IndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air, and Star Air will operate domestic services to 9 destinations, with 15 departures on day one.
• The airport will operate for 12 hours daily (8 am - 8 pm) in the initial phase, with plans to scale up to 24/7 operations from February next year.
• Developed by NMIAL (Adani Group 74%, CIDCO 26%), the first phase cost Rs 19,650 crore, aiming for 90 million passengers annually upon full completion.

Why It Matters: NMIA's launch significantly enhances air travel capacity for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and marks a new era for Indian aviation.