Mumbai airport to welcome passengers of charter flights with completely refurbished exclusive terminal

In a development that will further boost the growing private jet segment in the world’s fourth-largest aviation market, a completely refurbished General Aviation (GA) terminal will open its doors to passengers at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on Tuesday.  

The CSMIA facility will be available for exclusive use by private jet fliers at the country’s second-busiest airport. The GA terminal will offer the best-in-class luxury and other comforts to passengers of such flights, a statement from CSMIA’s operator Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) has said. 

The scope of GA involves civil aviation activities other than large-scale passenger or freight operations and includes business and personal travel, medical transport, search and rescue, sightseeing, aerial survey and mapping, law enforcement and agricultural aviation.

Spread over a 750 sq m area, the GA terminal has been built to support the movement and processing of passengers flying chartered flights from the airport. For international passengers, the terminal offers an efficient processing area with customs and immigration and immediate access to private jet aircraft stands from the terminal. The terminal is capable of handling over 50 passengers every hour for a quick check-in. 

Moreover, the terminal is fully accessible to passengers with special needs and passengers with reduced mobility. 

Stakeholders credit such dedicated terminals, also called Fixed Base Operation (FBO) lounges, for the spike being witnessed in the segment, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic hit in early 2020.

“If you are travelling first or business class on a regular commercial flight, you still need to go through the queues at the immigration and other hassles that don’t happen in an FBO lounge. The check-in process takes only about 10-15 minutes as you have exclusive immigration and customs officers,” informed the CEO of Club One Air, India’s largest charter service provider, Rajan Mehra.

In April 2022, 95 Non-Scheduled Operators Permit (NSOP) holders had a fleet of 330 fixed-wing and rotary-wing charter aircraft, according to data from the aviation regulator the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The country currently has three FBO lounges in Ahmedabad, Delhi and Mumbai, with a fourth one proposed at Bengaluru airport.

“The government is going to encourage the setting up of more FBOs and that is going to be a big game changer in ensuring last mile connectivity,” said the managing director of the industry body Business Aircraft Operators Association (BAOA), Group Captain Rajesh Kumar Bali.

Users of the CSMIA facility can look forward to luxurious interiors accentuated with height, light and space. Specially trained staff will be present to receive passengers round the clock. The renovated terminal offers spacious lounges with butler service, which will be further complemented by a curated menu, stylish bar and a buffet serving global cuisines.

Additionally, guests will have the option of reserving meeting and conference room facilities with state-of-the-art audio and video aids in advance available in the terminal. 

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