Challenge Group suspends freighter flights to Navi Mumbai Airport

Dhaka: European cargo airline Challenge Group has suspended its freighter operations at Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), citing operational challenges at the newly opened Indian facility.

In a social media post, the company said the current setup at NMIA does not allow it to deliver cargo services with the reliability and certainty it requires. It added that the circumstances were beyond its control, but the suspension was a deliberate decision.

Challenge Group said its priority remains protecting customers, their cargo, and supply chains. Its teams are evaluating alternatives to maintain connectivity between India and its international network, and details of a new service are expected to be announced soon.

The cargo airline also said it remains committed to Mumbai and intends to resume operations once conditions allow reliable cargo handling.

Freighter operators were recently asked to temporarily shift their flights from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to NMIA. The move was carried out to allow work on cargo infrastructure at CSMIA, which is expected to take 10 months and was scheduled to begin in August.

The relocation has drawn criticism from local cargo groups, which argue NMIA is not yet a viable alternative.

Social media users have also pointed to the airport's poor connectivity, saying it takes around 2.5 to 3 hours to reach from the city. Others claimed the transition was rushed, leaving too little time to prepare all operational processes.

NMIA opened in December, but freighter operations began only on August 1, when an IndiGo freighter departed from the airport.

Silk Way West, Cathay Cargo, and Hong Kong Air Cargo have confirmed moving their freighter operations to NMIA. Lufthansa Cargo is also understood to have made the shift.