Navi Mumbai Airport’s Inaugural Flight on October 8

The airport’s launch has been a moving target. Originally slated for September 30, 2025, the event was postponed due to monsoon rains and incomplete finishing works. Current reports now point to October 8 – 9, though some outlets say October 30 is more likely.

At the heart of the storm is the naming dispute. For over a decade, locals have demanded that the airport be named after D. B. Patil, a leader who fought for landowners’ rights when their lands were acquired. In June, the Maharashtra Assembly passed a unanimous resolution in his honor. Yet, until the Centre issues a gazette notification, the name remains in limbo.

Adding legal weight, a PIL filed in the Bombay High Court seeks a binding verdict. On the ground, agitation is intensifying, recently, a 2,500-vehicle rally was staged, with slogans of “No name, no flight.”

Meanwhile, airlines, including those in the Air India group, are preparing schedules, suggesting that commercial readiness is near. But insiders note that ceremonial inauguration and passenger flight operations are not the same thing, meaning the first take-offs may happen only weeks after the ribbon-cutting.