Business
Air France-KLM adds 12 weekly India flights… but says splitting Mumbai operations is “not an option”
Air France-KLM plans to raise its India operations from 42 to 54 weekly flights this winter, including 20 weekly services from Mumbai, while preferring to keep its operations at the existing airport.
India’s booming international travel market is prompting Air France-KLM to add more flights, but the airline group is drawing a clear line when it comes to Mumbai’s two-airport setup.
The group plans to increase its India operations from the current 42 weekly flights to 54 during the upcoming winter schedule. KLM will operate up to 27 flights a week, while Air France will operate the remaining 27.
The expansion comes as airlines continue to see strong demand from Indian travellers heading to international destinations.
India becoming a strategic market
Stefan Gumuseli, General Manager India & Middle East at Air France-KLM, described India as one of the group’s strategic destinations.
According to Gumuseli, demand is expected to remain strong as India’s aviation infrastructure expands and more first-time international travellers and new passport holders begin exploring overseas destinations.
The growth is also being seen in premium travel. Laure Daynie, Country Manager for Air France-KLM in India, said demand for premium cabins—including business class and premium comfort—has increased sharply.
The airline group plans to expand its offering across cabin categories as it adds capacity.
54 weekly flights across four cities
Air France-KLM currently operates from Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.
The group also has a codeshare agreement with IndiGo, allowing passengers from several Indian cities to connect with major European hubs.
The planned increase comes against a complicated backdrop for international aviation. Some Indian airlines have reduced their European flight frequencies amid cost pressures following the West Asia crisis and difficulties associated with access to Pakistani airspace.
Air France-KLM, meanwhile, says it added capacity during the peak of the West Asia conflict, both by deploying aircraft and increasing flight frequencies.
Mumbai flights will rise to 20 per week
Mumbai will receive a significant share of the additional capacity. Air France-KLM plans to increase its Mumbai operations to 20 weekly flights.
However, the airline does not currently want to divide those services between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and the new Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA).
For the airline, the issue comes down largely to operational efficiency.
Gumuseli said Air France-KLM already has teams and ground-handling arrangements in place at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Splitting operations would require additional teams, training and ground infrastructure at another airport.
The airline therefore prefers to keep its Mumbai services concentrated at the existing airport.
Why Air France-KLM wants to stay at Mumbai airport
Operational arrangements are only one part of the airline’s reasoning.
Gumuseli also pointed to the connectivity available at the existing Mumbai airport and its relative proximity to the city.
His comments come as Mumbai prepares for a major change in how international traffic could be distributed between its two airports.
Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), the operator of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, has proposed moving a portion of international airline traffic to NMIA from October 1.
The proposal is linked to the upcoming redevelopment of Terminal 1 at the existing Mumbai airport.
Both airports are operated by Adani Airport Holdings Ltd.
What the expansion means for Indian travellers
For passengers, the additional Air France-KLM capacity could mean more choices when travelling between India and Europe during the winter schedule.
The airline group’s expansion also underlines the continued importance of the Indian market for international carriers, particularly as demand grows beyond traditional business and leisure travellers.
But Mumbai’s airport transition could add a new layer of complexity.
With Navi Mumbai International Airport emerging as a major additional aviation hub and redevelopment work planned at the existing Mumbai airport, airlines will have to consider factors such as passenger connectivity, ground handling, staff deployment and operational efficiency.
For now, Air France-KLM’s position is straightforward: it wants more flights from Mumbai, but it does not want to split those operations between two airports.
As Mumbai’s aviation network enters a new phase, the question of where individual international airlines choose to operate could become just as important as how many flights they add.
