India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav was amongst the guests in attendance on first day of operations of the Navi Mumbai International Airport. The airport commenced commercial operations on December 25 with over 4,000 passengers handled on the first day. Alongside Surya, Indian sport stars Mithali Raj and Sunil Chhetri were also among the dignitaries present.
The first flight landing at the airport, IndiGo flight 6E460, travelling from Bengaluru, landed at the Navi Mumbai International Airport at 8 am, It was welcomed with the water cannon salute, a ceremonial tradition in which trucks spraying arcs of water over an aircraft as it taxis.
The launch of passenger operations at Navi Mumbai International Airport marks a major milestone for the Mumbai metropolitan region, easing pressure on the existing airport and opening new economic and employment avenues.
The launch of the airport marks a historic shift for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), making it the first in India to operate a dual-airport system alongside the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA).
On Day One, NMIA handled 48 flights connecting nine domestic destinations, serving over 4,000 passengers, reflecting strong early demand and operational readiness from the outset.
Suryakumar Yadav did not travel from the Navi Mumbai airport. The 35-year-old however is currently on a break having featured for India in their 5-match T20I series win over South Africa. Yadav will feature in Mumbai's Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign, before joining up with the India squad for the IND vs NZ T20I series.
The 5-match series precedes the T20 World Cup 2026 in February and March.
