Mumbai airport picks Indo Thai as interim ground handler

Mumbai airport announced that Indo Thai Airport Services will handle ground operations for the next three months, effective immediately. The move comes a day after Adani Airport Holdings Ltd terminated concession agreements with Turkish firm Celebi NAS at Mumbai and Ahmedabad airports, following the central government’s revocation of Celebi’s security clearance on national security grounds.

In a statement, Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) said, “Indo Thai Airport Services has been appointed as the interim ground handling provider at the airport for the next three months with immediate effect,” adding that a joint meeting with airlines had been conducted to ensure a seamless transition.

Indo Thai Airport Services, which currently operates at nine airports, will now temporarily manage ground handling at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA)—India’s second-busiest airport and operated by the Adani Group-owned MIAL.

To avoid disruption, MIAL added, “CSMIA will facilitate the transfer of all existing employees of Celebi NAS at CSMIA to Indo Thai Airport Services on their existing terms and conditions of employment, thus ensuring no loss of employment and continued service delivery to airline partners.”

Further, the airport noted that, “All ground handling equipment currently owned by Celebi NAS will be leased by Indo Thai Airport Services, in order to maintain continuity of service.”

MIAL also confirmed that it would initiate the Request for Proposal (RFP) process within three days to select a long-term ground handling partner, who will be onboarded in the next three months.

To ensure uninterrupted service, the airport reiterated that “a joint meeting was held with all affected airlines” for a stable handover of ground handling operations from Celebi NAS.

Turkish firm Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd has approached the Delhi High Court on Friday challenging the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security’s (BCAS) decision to revoke its security clearance on national security grounds.

The revocation came shortly after Turkey publicly supported Pakistan and condemned India’s airstrikes on terror camps as part of Operation Sindoor, which was launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed 26 lives.

A lawyer involved in the matter confirmed the plea had been filed, and it is expected to be heard next week.

In an earlier statement, Celebi Aviation India asserted that it remains fully compliant with Indian aviation, national security, and tax laws and operates transparently. The company denied all allegations related to its ownership and operations in India and reiterated its continued commitment to the Indian aviation industry.

Meanwhile, Delhi airport operator DIAL has officially ended its partnership with Celebi for both ground handling and cargo services at Indira Gandhi International Airport. The two Celebi entities involved — Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd and Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India Pvt Ltd — were handling those operations.

Celebi, which has been part of India’s aviation sector for over 15 years and employs more than 10,000 people, currently operates at nine airports across the country.

According to its website, the Turkish-owned company manages about 58,000 flights and handles 5.4 lakh tonnes of cargo annually at airports in Mumbai, Delhi, Cochin, Kannur, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa, Ahmedabad, and Chennai.

However, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) recently revoked Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd’s security clearance with immediate effect, citing “national security” concerns. The clearance, originally granted in November 2022, has now been withdrawn as tensions escalated following Turkey’s alleged military alignment with Pakistan — including the use of Turkish drones during its recent conflict with India.