The first commercial flight successfully landed at Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) on December 29, 2024, marking a significant milestone in the airport's journey towards becoming operational. An IndiGo Airlines Airbus A320 conducted this historic "validation flight," which took off from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai and landed at NMIA's runway 08/26 at approximately 1:38 PM IST.

Upon landing, the aircraft was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute, a ceremonial gesture celebrating the occasion, witnessed by airport officials and their families who gathered to cheer. This flight was part of the aerodrome certification process, which assesses safety and operational readiness before the airport can commence regular commercial operations. The successful landing validates the Instrument Approach Procedures at NMIA, ensuring that all critical aviation systems are synchronized.

The landing by a commercial aircraft holds much more significance than that of the IAF aircraft, as NMIA is a civil airport. Unlike during the IAF aircraft landing, no ministers were present during Sunday’s event, reportedly because of the mourning period for former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away on December 26.

Navi Mumbai International Airport is expected to officially inaugurate its first terminal on April 17, 2025, with commercial operations slated to begin by May 2025. Once fully operational, the airport will have a capacity to handle 20 million passengers annually in its first phase, with plans to expand this capacity significantly in subsequent phases. The development of NMIA aims to alleviate congestion at the existing Mumbai airport and cater to the burgeoning air travel demand in the region.

HT