Rajen Bhatia, ACAAI Chairman, Western Region said, “The proposed suspension of freighter operations at Mumbai International Airport for nearly ten months, citing taxiway and apron works, has triggered serious alarm across the air cargo industry. While infrastructure upgrades are welcome, a blanket shutdown at India’s second-largest cargo hub is both disproportionate and disruptive. Mumbai is the primary gateway for valuables, gems & jewellery and time-sensitive exports, particularly pharmaceuticals, with leading manufacturers in Maharashtra and Gujarat dependent on the airport for global distribution. The decision appears to have been taken without meaningful consultation with stakeholders. A prolonged closure could permanently divert freighters to hubs such as New Delhi, making capacity recovery uncertain. With NMIAL’s cargo infrastructure, cold-chain readiness, and connectivity still evolving, costs are set to rise at odds with the government’s stated objective of reducing logistics costs. Without an urgent, phased mitigation plan, the move risks export disruption, rate escalation, and reputational damage to India’s air cargo ecosystem.”
