Navi Mumbai Airport workers fly maiden flight, Gautam Adani highlights confidence of India's labour force

Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 26 : Workers, part of the construction of the greenfield Navi Mumbai airport, were among the flyers during the inaugural day operations at the airport on Thursday, marking a landmark expansion of Mumbai's aviation capacity and a decisive step in India's infrastructure journey.
Adaani Group Chairman Gautam Adani personally welcomed passengers from the inaugural flight and interacted with airport staff, frontline workers and first-time flyers yesterday.
In a post on X, Gautam Adani shared a short clip of the inaugural day of operations, featuring the experiences of first-time flyers and workers on the first flight.
"Our worker friends also became witnesses to this historic moment. Thanks to the hard work and determination of those involved, this project was completed in record time. In these smiling faces, the confidence of our labour force and an ever-progressing India shines through," the X post in Hindi read.
In the 2-minute video, a female passenger shared her experience and excitement to be on a flight. "This is the first time I've had a chance to take a flight. I was so excited and desperate to sit on the aircraft."
Many other flyers, some first-timers, shared a similar experience and thanked the Adani Group for the kind gesture.
Some of the workers who laid the foundation of the airport were part of the airport's maiden flight.
With Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) now operational, Mumbai joins global aviation hubs such as London, New York, Moscow, Tokyo, and Shanghai, each served by multiple airports to meet rising demand. For the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), this signals the start of a true multi-airport system designed for scale, resilience and the future.
Developed and operated by Adani Airports Holdings Limited (AAHL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), NMIA is among India's largest greenfield airport projects. It was conceived to ease congestion at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA).
The inaugural commercial arrival--IndiGo flight 6E460 from Bengaluru--landed at 08:00 hours to a traditional water cannon salute on Thursday. On Day 1, NMIA handled 48 flights connecting nine domestic destinations, serving over 4,000 passengers. Peak traffic was recorded between 05:00 and 07:00 hours, reflecting strong early demand and operational readiness from the outset, according to NMIA.
After welcoming passengers from the inaugural flight and interacting with airport staff, frontline workers and first-time flyers, Gautam Adani later joined a ceremonial walk through the departure terminal with airport employees, community representatives and Adani Foundation beneficiaries.
The launch concluded with a flag-hoisting ceremony led by Param Vir Chakra awardees Captain Bana Singh and Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar, followed by the national anthem. Leading sportspersons Suryakumar Yadav, Mithali Raj and Sunil Chhetri, along with social influencers Malini Agarwal and Viraj Ghelani, were present.
Gautam Adani said that welcoming NMIA's first passengers, alongside the Param Vir Chakra awardees, offered a glimpse of India as it takes shape. Standing with workers, farmers, social workers and colleagues with disabilities, he said, captured the spirit of a nation moving forward with confidence and compassion. Calling it "a proud day for Mumbai and for India," he added that NMIA stands as a promise of what the country can achieve when ambition is guided by purpose and delivered with speed and execution.
IndiGo, Air India Express and Akasa Air participated in the launch, confirming the start of scheduled departures from Navi Mumbai.
Located in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, NMIA is strategically positioned to meet the growing air traffic demand in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Western India.
Spanning over 1,160 hectares (2,866 acres), on completion, NMIA is designed to handle 90 million passengers per annum (MPPA). The airport will feature two parallel runways, state-of-the-art terminal buildings, and advanced cargo facilities, ensuring a seamless passenger experience and efficient cargo handling.
In the initial phase, NMIA will have the capacity to manage 20 MPPA and 0.5 million metric tonnes of cargo annually.