Approximately 1,000 tonnes of inbound cargo sat on dollies at Navi Mumbai International Airport, tying up equipment needed to unload arriving freighters, according to Challenge Group, which has temporarily suspended its Mumbai freighter operations over conditions at the new facility.

What triggered the corrective action?

Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL) has committed to adding experienced personnel to its cargo workforce, improving communication on flight clearances and delivery timelines, and operating a 24/7 help desk for import and export customers.

The airport operator also said it will waive additional demurrage charges incurred after the free period through Oct. 15, addressing one of the cost concerns flagged by forwarders and customs brokers.

The measures follow complaints from airlines, freight forwarders and customs brokers about delays and operational bottlenecks since dedicated freighter operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were suspended to accommodate runway and terminal infrastructure work at the older hub.

IndiGo CarGo became the first freight carrier to begin operations at Navi Mumbai on Aug. 1, and a number of international cargo carriers have since moved services to the new airport.

Why did Challenge Group pull out?

Challenge Group Chief Commercial Officer Or Zak said problems at the new airport have included shortages of dollies and difficulties moving cargo through warehouse processes. Approximately 1,000 tonnes of inbound tonnage stacked on dollies has starved arriving freighters of equipment needed for unloading.

"You end up with freighters leaving with very little cargo, or even completely empty," Zak said.

Export operations have faced separate problems, with cargo sometimes not ready, incorrectly built or unable to be released because of equipment constraints. The combined effect is poor load factors on outbound freighters, compounding revenue pressure as air cargo enters peak season and unit costs climb on every rotation.

How severe are the customs and ground handling issues?

The Brihanmumbai Customs Brokers' Association reported flight-checking delays exceeding 72 hours, alongside shortages of operational personnel, loaders, forklifts, trained equipment operators and supervisors. Industry groups also flagged delays in registration and account-opening processes that hold up cargo clearance, suggesting the bottlenecks extend beyond ramp equipment into administrative workflows.

In its response, NMIAL acknowledged that the transition had caused difficulties and said additional experienced resources would be deployed to improve cargo turnaround times. The waiver of demurrage accrued after the free period through Oct. 15 directly addresses one industry request, but the staffing and equipment gaps will take longer to close.

"While transitions of this scale can present challenges, our responsibility is to ensure that the impact is minimized and that the experience remains as smooth as possible," the airport operator said.

What is the commercial and network impact?

The transition was designed to free capacity at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for terminal and runway works during a period of growing Indian air-cargo demand. The trade-off is reliability at the new cargo complex during peak season, a window when freighters typically run at their fullest and handling capacity is most stretched.

For Challenge Group, the suspension is a direct service withdrawal. For carriers still operating, the demurrage waiver and 24/7 help desk are partial offsets against what the Brihanmumbai Customs Brokers' Association describes as three-day customs clearance backlogs.

How quickly NMIAL deploys trained personnel and equipment will determine whether peak-season tonnage flows through the new airport as planned, or diverts to alternative Indian west-coast gateways via road feeder from inland hubs.