Navi Mumbai airport: What will change in your air travel from December 25

When someone tries to book a flight ticket from any airport, next to the names of airports, a three-letter combination denoting them is provided. These airport codes are given by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). For the CSMIA, the code is BOM, derived from the city’s former name, Bombay. And for NMIA, the code is NMI.

The dazzling interiors of Navi Mumbai International Airport. PIC/By Special Arrangement

Currently, many ticket aggregating websites display the departing and arriving destinations by city, and use the airport code to denote which airport the flight will be flying out of. So, passengers need to keep a close eye on the airport code while booking their tickets.

Routes and ticket prices

Flights from the Navi Mumbai International Airport will go to and arrive from Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Goa, Hyderabad, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Lucknow, and Nagpur. IndiGo is adding three more destinations — Coimbatore, Chennai, and Vadodara — before January 1.  While all these are routes that are available to those opting to fly from CSMIA, the new facility will prove a boon for those living in proximity to NMIA.

The sale of tickets for flights departing from and arriving at NMIA commenced on November 15, but a trend seen by many while booking their tickets from the Navi Mumbai Airport is the difference in prices from both airports to the same location.

On December 25, IndiGo flights at NMIA in the first half of the day will have about a price difference of Rs 2000 to Rs 4000 compared to thpse flying from CSMIA, depending on the date and time the ticket was booked. The closer the date of flying, the higher the ticket prices.

The main difference comes with the user development fees and the Maharashtra Goods and Services Tax added per ticket. The UDF for NMIA is R732, and for BOM is Rs 207; the Rs 500 difference, along with the GST charges, according to the total fare, is what hikes the flight ticket prices from NMIA. 

Passenger Speak

Avantika Biswas, Navi Mumbai resident and frequent flier
“The airport will make my life a lot easier, as now I don’t need to leave two hours before the wait time begins. I would also have to take traffic en route to CSMIA into account every time,” 

Rajini Gadepalli, a flier from Hyderabad
“I was worried that we might book the wrong ticket when flying to Navi Mumbai, but my relatives told me to look at the airport codes to avoid accidentally flying to CSMIA.”

Airport timings

For now, flights will be operated in a 12-hour window, from 8 am to 8 pm

First arrival and departure

8 am for the first scheduled arrival  
8.40 am for the first  scheduled departure

There will be 30 air traffic movements on December 25. The first arrival, scheduled for 8 am, is 6E 460 from Bengaluru, and the first departure is 6E 882, to Hyderabad, at 8.40 am

Fliers’ single biggest concern

Many Mumbaikars told mid-day they were worried they might book the wrong ticket, confusing the NMIA with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA)

Fares passengers are likely to pay

Prices vary based on destination, with Rs 5000 being the lowest one. The costliest ticket for a direct flight would set a flier back by Rs 14,000. IndiGo flights departing from NMIA could have a price difference of Rs 2000 to Rs 4000 compared to those flying from CSMIA, depending on the date and time of booking

Prominent routes

The airport will facilitate flights to and from Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Goa, Hyderabad, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Lucknow, and Nagpur. The airline IndiGo will add three more destinations — Coimbatore, Chennai, and Vadodara — before January 1

Airlines operating from airport

IndiGo, Akasa Air, Air India Express, and Star Air

The solution

The fear is baseless, as both airports have different three-letter codes that indicate which ticket one is booking. CSMIA’s is BOM while the new airport’s is NIA

30
No of air traffic movements on Dec 25

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