Watch: Water salute marks first landing as Navi Mumbai Airport begins operations

Navi Mumbai International Airport NMIA Indiarsquos newest Greenfield airport began commercial operations on Thursday December 25The Navi Mumbai International Airport NMIA began operations with the first flight from Bengaluru operated by IndiGo touching down the runway at 8 amAir India Express marked a key milestone by operating its first landing and takeoff from Navi Mumbai International Airport NMIA officially commencing services from the new aviation hub The inaugural operations strengthen domestic connectivity and signal NMIArsquos growing rolehellip pictwittercomSjU2eY1SwMmdash Mid Day mid_day December 25 2025The aircraft was accorded a ceremonial water cannon salute on arrival a timehonoured aviation tradition marking NMIAs first commercial touchdown and departure the airport operator said in a statementThe inaugural arrival was followed by the airports first departure IndiGo flight 6E882 to Hyderabad at 0840 am completing NMIAs inaugural arrival and departure cycle it saidOn the first day IndiGo Air India Express Akasa Air and Star Air will operate domestic services connecting the new facility to nine destinations across IndiaCommercial services started at Navi Mumbai International Airport Thursday with the inaugural IndiGo arrival from Bengaluru and first departure to Hyderabad marking a new era for Indiarsquos aviation sectorIndiGo Air India Express Akasa Air and Star Air will operate dayonehellip pictwittercom7e4OHEhiimmdash Mid Day mid_day December 25 2025The airport will handle 15 scheduled departures on the first day it said adding that during the initial phase the facility will operate for 12 hours between 8 am and 8 pm with up to 24 scheduled daily departures to 13 destinations and the capability to manage up to 10 aircraft movements arrivals and departures per hour it addedIn the first month NMIA will operate for 12 hours between 0800 hours and 2000 hours handling 23 scheduled daily departures During this period the airport will manage up to 10 flight movements per hourIndiGo commenced operations from NMIA and its first flight arrived at NMIA from Bengaluru in the morning with first departure to Hyderabad shortly thereafter Initially IndiGo will be connecting NMIA to over 10 key destinations across the nationAir India Express said it inaugurated services from NMIA with direct flights to Bengaluru and Delhi The first Air India Express flight from Navi Mumbai International Airport operated to BengaluruAkasa Airrsquos inaugural flight departed from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi and arrived at the Navi Mumbai International Airport Also its inaugural flight from NMIA departed and arrived at Delhi Airport Akasa Air will operate scheduled flights connecting Navi Mumbai with Goa Delhi Kochi and AhmedabadNMIA is Indiarsquos newest Greenfield airport In the first month NMIA will operate for 12 hours between 0800 hours and 2000 hours handling 23 scheduled daily departuresStarting February 2026 the airport will transition to roundtheclock operationsStarting February 2026 the airport will transition to roundtheclock operations expanding to 34 daily departures to meet the increasing needs of the MMRNMIA is conducting comprehensive Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer ORAT trials in collaboration with all stakeholders including security agencies and airline partnersNMIA is a public private partnership PPP between Mumbai International Airport Limited MIAL a subsidiary of Adani Airports Holdings Limited AAHL which holds the majority stake of 74 per cent while the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited CIDCO holds the remaining 26 per centThe inauguration of NMIA by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 8 set the stage for a carefully phased operational rollout prioritising passenger safety reliability and comfort from day one