Venture into the North East with CSMIA’s digital carnival – Utsara

In the series of disasters that 2020 has faced so far, none have been more impactful than the sudden global outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19). A virus that’s easily transmitted between humans, the widespread fear of contracting COVID-19 has made everyone think twice about stepping out of their house for anything besides essential goods. Understanding the anxiety of these challenging times, CSMIA launched a first-of-its-kind digital carnival helping passengers explore the uncharted realms of North East India from the comfort of their homes.

Jaya He New Museum, India’s largest public art initiative, is no stranger to the carnival backdrop. Its first edition ‘Phaaolkhuna – Imprints of Maharashtra’, launched last year, saw lakhs of passengers enjoying the festival activities on ground at the airport. Given the current scenario, the airport hosts its second edition, Utsara 2020, digitally and aims to celebrate the cultural diversity of North East India. In collaboration with Anvaya, content partner, and Kathanika, storytelling partner, the festival takes viewers through the Kaleidoscopic assemblage of various North Eastern culture, festivals, cuisines, art forms and more, just by visiting the social media handles of Jaya He Museum.

Expand Your Horizons

The prestige beauty of the North East and its Tribes are still undiscovered and untouched. The Jaya HE carnival focuses on the diverse tribes of the North East that bring positive elements that are absent in mainstream National Culture. The carnival highlights the foundations laid by the different tribes which have helped conserve not only traditions and beliefs, but also the biodiversity of North East India. Tribes such as Khasi, Jaintia (Pnar) and Garo of Meghalaya, Angami, Konyak in Nagaland and Bodo, Deori in Assam are some of the tribes focused on at the festival. Utsara is displaying the different cultural colours the tribes help bring to the North east with their traditions, arts, cuisines, and tales.

Tease Your Tastebuds

The local cuisines and delicacies of the North East are a symphony of flavour that are marvels of freshness and simplicity. Utsara is helping you connect with the culture and indulge in the local flavours of the North East right at your home with exciting recipes to try and feel the taste of the North East in your own backyard.Food operates as an expression of cultural identity, and the carnival is showcasing the emotional connect between the different states and their food as well as aims at connecting passengers around the world with their love for food.Enjoy the preparation discovery and origins of cuisines of different tribes from comfort foods such as the Aloo Pitika to the assortment of flavors in dishes cooked with Axone and beverages from the best Assamese tea to the Apong/ Xajpani which is the rice beer at the Jaya HE carnival which will definitely help you sail through the ongoing crisis and keep your taste buds happy.

Experience New Cultures

North East has a vibrant array of art and culture which contributes to the richness and variety of the Indian culture. Utsara brings to the world and especially the people of India through their social media platforms this vibrant array of the North East, and how they have helped instill values and translate experiences across time. The festival focuses on various art forms such as painting, architecture, music, jewelry, and their textile work from different tribes of the North Eastern states. It takes a deep dive into the vigorous art and craft traditions of different tribes and how they excel in craftmanship which bring various elements into the culture and characterizes the way of life of different North East states.

Indulge Your Inner Child

Utsara is focusing on the 8 North East states of India and is providing a window to its passengers with valuable insights into the communities of the North East through their Folk Tales. Storyteller SherlinePimenta, beautifully recites the Folk tales of different North East regions that helps understand the society’s customs, attitudes, values, and philosophies. The Carnival will help you unwind at home during the lockdown with stories on the Ow Tenga princess, tale of Ondaa the fisherman and Rangeet and Teesta, the two big rivers of Sikkim amongst many otherswhich are gracefully captured at the festival

Fix Your Future Travel Bucket List

The North East of India is home to some of the most beautiful places in the country and a land filled with unearthly wonders. The ‘Utsara’ carnival along with the culture and traditions of different North East states is giving its passengers a peek at the marvelous creations of North East’s beauty to look forward to. From the beautiful Yumthang and Kathmandu valleys to the Rumtek Monastery as well as the Gurudongmar Lake amongst a few, the carnival makes you look forward to adding adventures in your bucket list and give content to your gram.

CSMIA is helping you get travel ready once the crisis ends with its deep insight into the unexplored tribes, their traditions, and majestic terrains of North East India. You can visit the Instagram and Facebook page of Jaya He Museum to experience the beauty of North East India.

CSMIA caters to over 2 Lakh passengers since the revival of Domestic Flight operations

~Mumbai-Delhi route saw the highest load with 41,206 passengers~

Mumbai, June 24, 2020: Post the resumption of domestic commercial passenger flight operations from May 25, 2020, GVK MIAL managing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) catered to a total of 2,01,258 passengers which includes 1,40,878 at departures and 60,380 at arrivals. CSMIA has handled a total of 1744 domestic flights for the period from May 25 to June 24, operated by 10 airlines and catering to a total of 34 sectors in the country.

Amongst the destinations served, the airport saw the highest passenger load capacity on Mumbai – Delhi route, followed closely by Kolkata, Varanasi, and Patna, respectively. 

Route	Passenger load capacity
Mumbai to Delhi	41,206
Mumbai to Kolkata	22,778
Mumbai to Varanasi	18,812
Mumbai to Patna	17,784

Upon the revival of commercial domestic flight operations on May 25, the airport was permitted to operate 25 departures and 25 arrivals per day. With the recent grant by the Government of Maharashtra to double the commercial passenger flight movements, the airport saw a total of 06 new sectors added to their existing schedule. The sectors include Trivandrum, Coimbatore, Raipur, Udaipur, Jabalpur, and Jalgaon.

CSMIA endeavours to conform to the highest standard of safety and security and has adopted numerous precautionary measures to help and support the passengers, including providing an efficient transit to its travellers. The airport has allowed check-in through E-boarding pass on cellular devices for its passengers. Additionally, CSMIA has also placed stringent measures to screen drivers and fumigate the vehicles entering the airport premise. CSMIA continues to offer best-in-class services to the passengers in the interest of their safety and making efforts in rendering travel to and from Mumbai as the most desirable and elevating experience.

CSMIA addresses over 12000 anxious passengers during lockdown

Mumbai, June 10, 2020: Even after the nationwide lockdown was announced by the Government of India to curb the spread of the virus, GVK MIAL managing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airports' (CSMIA) Airport Contact Centre Team (ACC) continued supporting and addressing the queries of anxious passengers out of their respective homes. With a curtailed staff and constant inquiries by passengers, the ACC team took it onto themselves to address the situation at hand and connect with passengers by being a pillar of support and imbibing positive energy to ease passengers during these testing times. In the last two months, the team handled over 12,000 calls assuring passengers about their safety and overall wellbeing.

The ACC team were trained to adapt to the change and address queries of passengers with patience and optimism to defuse tension and make passengers feel more secure about their journey. Taking up the airports motto to stand as a pillar for passengers to rely on, the team at CSMIA devised a plan to address the incoming queries about the status of coronavirus in India which included flight operations, safety of travellers, COVID-19 related queries as well as the details of medical help offered by the airport. The team went a step ahead and prepared a roster for equal distribution of work, where each member of ACC will attend calls for six hours across various time bands to ensure round the clock availability of personnel to address passengers.

Incoming calls were even transferred to the ACC team personnel working from home; additional and necessary data along with FAQs were provided to these team members to handle all possible queries. The team also worked closely with all stakeholders of the airport to stay constantly updated on the latest news, particularly data related to flight operations around repatriation and cargo flights. The ACC teams catered to calls from across India from not just passengers, but also the concerns and queries of municipal authorities and social activists.

Furthermore, the ACC team also recorded various scripts for public announcements, in 03 languages including English, Hindi and Marathi through their cellular devices from home. These scripts were devised to have a warm and friendly tonality to build confidence amongst wary passengers travelling for the first time post the resumption of operations, thus making them feel comfortable and safe. 

CSMIA has been in the forefront of adapting and integrating its systems with the airport's customer communication systems for enhanced customer care which includes a hybrid backend system that consists of an Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) and live agents to assist the passengers with their general queries about their flight timings, airport assistance or about the destination. The airport tends to a variety of calls which include emergency calls, city information, feedback, customs, immigration flight information, CISF, airline information, airport services and facilities as well as other requests. 

For CSMIA, passenger comfort is of utmost importance. It is in the DNA of the company to offer a high standard of customer experience, and with remote working, the ACC team has come as a support for the passengers during these tiring times. The high-quality standard of service is a testament of providing passengers comfort and ease, which was seen recently with CSMIA being recognized under the Best Airport Staff in India & Central Asia 2020 by Skytrax.

CSMIA addresses over 12000 anxious passengers during lockdown

Mumbai, June 10, 2020: Even after the nationwide lockdown was announced by the Government of India to curb the spread of the virus, GVK MIAL managing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airports' (CSMIA) Airport Contact Centre Team (ACC) continued supporting and addressing the queries of anxious passengers out of their respective homes. With a curtailed staff and constant inquiries by passengers, the ACC team took it onto themselves to address the situation at hand and connect with passengers by being a pillar of support and imbibing positive energy to ease passengers during these testing times. In the last two months, the team handled over 12,000 calls assuring passengers about their safety and overall wellbeing.

The ACC team were trained to adapt to the change and address queries of passengers with patience and optimism to defuse tension and make passengers feel more secure about their journey. Taking up the airports motto to stand as a pillar for passengers to rely on, the team at CSMIA devised a plan to address the incoming queries about the status of coronavirus in India which included flight operations, safety of travellers, COVID-19 related queries as well as the details of medical help offered by the airport. The team went a step ahead and prepared a roster for equal distribution of work, where each member of ACC will attend calls for six hours across various time bands to ensure round the clock availability of personnel to address passengers.

Incoming calls were even transferred to the ACC team personnel working from home; additional and necessary data along with FAQs were provided to these team members to handle all possible queries. The team also worked closely with all stakeholders of the airport to stay constantly updated on the latest news, particularly data related to flight operations around repatriation and cargo flights. The ACC teams catered to calls from across India from not just passengers, but also the concerns and queries of municipal authorities and social activists.

Furthermore, the ACC team also recorded various scripts for public announcements, in 03 languages including English, Hindi and Marathi through their cellular devices from home. These scripts were devised to have a warm and friendly tonality to build confidence amongst wary passengers travelling for the first time post the resumption of operations, thus making them feel comfortable and safe. 

CSMIA has been in the forefront of adapting and integrating its systems with the airport's customer communication systems for enhanced customer care which includes a hybrid backend system that consists of an Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) and live agents to assist the passengers with their general queries about their flight timings, airport assistance or about the destination. The airport tends to a variety of calls which include emergency calls, city information, feedback, customs, immigration flight information, CISF, airline information, airport services and facilities as well as other requests. 

For CSMIA, passenger comfort is of utmost importance. It is in the DNA of the company to offer a high standard of customer experience, and with remote working, the ACC team has come as a support for the passengers during these tiring times. The high-quality standard of service is a testament of providing passengers comfort and ease, which was seen recently with CSMIA being recognized under the Best Airport Staff in India & Central Asia 2020 by Skytrax.

CSMIA all set to welcome Indians back home, after the directive by the Government of India

First repatriation flight will be landing at CSMIA from London in the early hours of Sunday, May 10

Mumbai, May 09, 2020: Following the initiative taken by the Government of India for facilitating the return of 14,800 Indian nationals stranded abroad, GVK MIAL managing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) will cater to approximately 2350 Indians in the span of 7 days, starting May 10, 2020. The airport is all set to support the initiative and has put together a Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) to ensure the safety of the passengers. The repatriation operations will see CSMIA catering to 10 flights and 6 transit flight in the course of 7 days welcoming stranded Indian nationals from countries such as U.K., U.S.A., Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Philippines commencing with 4 flights on 10^th May 2020.

CSMIA will be complying with the government guidelines during the repatriation where the airport will ensure the safety and wellbeing of the passengers, right from the time the flight lands at CSMIA and passengers disembark the aircraft till they leave the terminal building. Two dedicated aerobridges have been identified for repatriation flights, along with provision of proper infrastructure to the APHO for the screening of passengers before entering the Immigration area. Furthermore, passengers will need to maintain a physical distance of a minimum of 2 meters through distinctive markings laid out at the airport and are required to wear face mask and hand gloves during the entire course of their journey. In addition, the airport has set-up 30 immigration counters for undertaking the necessary procedures and ensuring quickest clearance of the arriving passengers.

Besides, CSMIA is making special arrangements for the stranded Indian nationals arriving at the airport by arranging F&B facilities for the passengers in the arriving hall. The airport will be undertaking preventive measures by disinfecting the baggage before loading on the conveyor belt and providing sanitized baggage trolleys to the passengers along with hand sanitizers being stationed across various touchpoints at the airport. Arriving passengers will also be escorted by CISF personnel until they are handed over to the state authorities. 

CSMIA will be operating with 1/3rd of its staff who will be provided with all essential PPEs such as face mask, hand gloves, sanitizers, as per the directive by the MOHFW. The airport maintenance staff will continue to follow the comprehensive cleaning procedures to efficiently sanitize and disinfect the terminal building including the vital areas where human hands come to play such as elevator buttons, escalators, railings, amongst others. Furthermore, the APHO, Immigration, Custom, and CISF personnel who would be coming in direct contact with the arriving passengers, will be provided with face shield and all appropriate PPEs for the protection and safety of the individuals. The arriving passengers need to strictly follow the protocols issued by the Government at all times, which include wearing of masks, environmental hygiene, respiratory hygiene, hand hygiene, amongst others. 

For the benefit of the passengers, limited number of Forex and Sim card outlets will be made operational at the airport so that passengers can download and install “Aarogya Setu” app on their mobile phones prior to proceeding on quarantine.

Provisions have been made in the eventuality that any symptomatic passenger is identified at the airport; the passenger would be immediately isolated and moved to the separate area earmarked for the purpose. Additionally, designated airport ambulances have been kept on standby to shift the symptomatic passengers to designated isolation centres.

The State Government of Maharashtra has made arrangements for asymptomatic passengers from Mumbai to be moved to identified quarantine facilities like hotels depending on their preference while those from outside Mumbai will be transported by the state to their respective district headquarters for institutional quarantine. For this purpose, Government of Maharashtra has also established a Help Desk at the airport to guide the arriving passengers.

CSMIA has facilitated total repatriation of over 8500 passengers with 51 evacuation flights since March 25^th to May 09^th. CSMIA facilitated evacuation flights to destinations such as Tehran, Zurich, Bali, Addis Ababa, Paro, London, Atlanta, Singapore, Paris, Frankfurt, Kenya, Muscat and Tokyo by working closely with the aviation community as well as the respective embassies. The airport also witnessed the arrival of Air New Zealand for the first time in Mumbai. Of the total repatriation flights facilitated by CSMIA, Atlanta saw over 2000 passengers evacuated with a total of 08 flights operated by Delta Air Lines, highest to any destination from Mumbai during this lockdown period. London was the other destination with 6 flights operated by Air India and 2 flights each by Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. Furthermore, the national carrier Air India operated 6 flights from CSMIA to destinations like Frankfurt, Paris, and London, amongst others.

CSMIA is working relentlessly to help stranded passengers return to their home countries and is taking adequate measures for their safety and wellbeing. The airport has put up a stringent screening process right from the time passengers arrive at the airport to the time they leave the terminal building. Post the Government announcing the extension of the lockdown in India following the outbreak of coronavirus and suspension of commercial passenger flight, the airport has been operating with a curtailed staff and working endlessly to handle cargo, charter, medical evacuation, military flights and freighter services. CSMIA continues to take all the necessary steps to provide top-notch security, gold class services and numerous facilities, making it one of the frontrunners in the Indian Aviation Industry.

CSMIA is prepared to begin operations with all safety measures in place

Mumbai, April 25 2020: In the wake of COVID-19 crisis, GVK MIAL managing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has put together measures to curb the spread of the virus. The airport has formulated SOPs for post-lockdown safety of the passengers which include social distancing, stringent thermal screening, positioning temporary quarantine centres and also continues to sanitize and disinfect the airport to ensure safety and well-being of the passengers, once operations resume.

To enable safety precautions at the airport, CSMIA plans to maintain social distancing through distinctive markings at both the terminals, maintaining 1.5 meters distance between each passenger. The special markings will be spread across the entry gate, check-in counters, self-check-in kiosks, security checkpoints, food courts, lounge area and the boarding area amongst others. Furthermore, the seating arrangements at the food court as well as in the terminal building are reshuffled in a manner that promotes social distancing.

Additionally, CSMIA has also created quarantine centres at both the terminals of the airport in case if any passenger shows symptoms of the deadly virus during the screening which will be conducted before entering the terminal building. The airport will be assigning their personnel to assist travellers at the self-check-in kiosks to help with the boarding copy and other details along with stationing hand sanitizers at all the touchpoints.

In a bid to enhance passenger safety and lower the chances of spread of the virus, CSMIA puts special emphasis on the need for passengers to wear masks and gloves during the entire course of their travel. CSMIA encourages passengers to check-in online from the comfort of their home or office, the use of card payment transaction and contactless payment at the airport restaurants and retail stores, to avoid to the optimal level. 

GVK MIAL has put forth mandatory standard operating procedures (SOP) for the stakeholders and staff who have been sensitized and informed to follow the directives laid down by the Government from time to time. In the initial phase of resuming operations, the airport will be functioning with 50 % staff strength as per the directives from the government. The airport maintenance staff have been provided with renewed and effective cleaning procedures to efficiently sanitize and disinfect the terminal building including the vital areas where human hands come to play such as elevator buttons, escalators, immigration counters, to name a few. Regular stakeholder meetings are being held to ensure compliance across the board, and specialized training sessions are conducted for all airport personnel. 

GVK MIAL has ensured to undertake suitable norms to make CSMIA a safe passage for all its customers and endeavours to provide the utmost care to all its stakeholders. Besides, GVK MIAL will be keeping a close watch on the new way of functionalities of passengers & operations and will duly improvise on the observations made, once services resume. For GVK MIAL, passenger and employee welfare hold the highest priority, and the airport endeavours to provide utmost care and welcome the passengers once again with the same enthusiasm. 

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport handles 5200 tonnes export and 3324 tonnes import, during the national lockdown

Mumbai, April 17, 2020: With the recent directive by the Government of India to suspend all commercial passenger flights to curb the spread of the virus, GVK MIAL managing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) continues to relentlessly operate its cargo handling activities to cater to the greater need of mobilizing and supplying essential commodities across India and the world. Since March 23, CSMIA air cargo exported 5200 tonnes of medicines, medical equipment, vaccines, diagnostic reagents, dangerous goods, engineering goods and chemicals while 3324 tonnes of freight including high volumes of commodities such as pharmaceuticals, dangerous goods, engineering goods and chemicals, imported. 

In this unprecedented time, when the national lockdown has immobilized all industries, CSMIA aggressively functions to connect India with the global supply chain and restock essential medical supplies across the country. On an average, the airport witnesses 8 to 9 cargo flights per day. The export flights majorly operate to countries such as USA, Germany, South Africa, France, United Kingdom. Also, scheduled freighters and ad-hoc cargo charters continue to remain operational. Furthermore, CSMIA air cargo has traded a total of 3788 tonnes of pharma products within India and globally, as CSMIA ranks the No.1 pharma cargo operations in the country. 

Recently, CSMIA set a record for the highest number of cargo movements witnessed at the airport during these difficult times of the pandemic and lockdown conditions. The airport handled 707 tonnes exports and import delivery of 286 tonnes approximately; marking the highest number of imports and exports of cargo managed in a day despite limited resources amongst other challenges. 

Despite transport constraints and stringent regulations due to COVID-19, the dedicated team at CSMIA has kept the cargo terminal operational round the clock. The cargo operations continue with a skeletal staff working tirelessly to process the EXIM cargo movements. In coordination with the Mumbai Police and BEST, special passes have been issued, and transportation has been arranged for facilitating the staff to commute to the airport safely. At the same time, CSMIA is undertaking precautionary measures of providing masks and utility hands. Regular sanitization and disinfecting the cargo facility, daily briefing to the staff on social distancing and necessary safety precautions along with addressing medical emergencies are some of the initiatives implemented.

CSMIA facilitates the evacuation of over 3700 passengers with 20 repatriation flights over 21 days

Mumbai, April 15, 2020: Following the directive issued by the Government of India to combat the recent outbreak of coronavirus, all commercial passenger flights suspended in a bid to stop the spread of the global pandemic. Stepping up during these challenging times to help stranded foreigners return to their home countries, GVK-MIAL managing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) evacuated over 3700 passengers with 20 repatriation flights between 25^th March – 14^th April 2020. Working side-by-side with the aviation community and the respective embassies, CSMIA has facilitated the operation of flights carrying the stranded passengers from Mumbai to London, Atlanta, Frankfurt, Singapore, Paris and Tokyo amongst other international destinations.

In the purview of the recent outbreak, CSMIA has taken all the precautionary measures to ensure passenger safety while boarding and arriving at the airport. The airport has put up a stringent screening process right from the time passengers enter the airport to the time they board their flight, and the same process has been implemented for the arriving passengers as well. Post the government announcing the lockdown in India following the coronavirus outbreak and suspension of commercial passenger flight, the airport has been operating with a curtailed staff and working endlessly to handle cargo flights, charter flights, military aircraft and freighter services. 

In this unprecedented time, CSMIA has maintained seamless cargo operations and has managed close to 240 cargo flights movements over the lockdown period that commenced on 25^th March 2020. Furthermore, the cargo operations at CSMIA have recorded the highest number of exports and import delivery of cargo in a single day in India. In its endeavour to conform to the highest standard of safety and security, CSMIA takes all the precautionary measures to help and support the country to come out of these gloomy days. The airport has created a benchmark in the industry in providing top-notch security, gold class services and numerous facilities, making it one of the forerunners in the Indian Aviation Industry.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport ensures readiness to resume operations

Mumbai, March 31 2020:  With the recent directive by the Government of India, suspending all commercial passenger flights until April 14 midnight, GVK-led Mumbai International Airport managing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) continues to remain operational with a curtailed staff of over 500 personnel working endlessly for vital cargo operations and emergency evacuation flights, if any at the same time safeguarding safety precautions at the airport. 

In this unprecedented time, CSMIA continues aggressively operating its cargo handling activities to cater to the greater need of mobilizing and supplying essential commodities across India and the world. The items include pharmaceutical goods, medical equipment, which are approved by the regulatory bodies and customs. CSMIA which is the largest gateway for Pharma products in India persists to operate its cargo handling activities with a minimal utility staff every day. 

In addition, the various team at CSMIA including E&M, security (CISF), operations staff etc. for ensuring maintenance and safety of the airport during this lockdown. The airport maintenance staff continue to effectively sanitize and fumigate the entire terminal buildings including the vital areas where tactile interface, as in human hands come in to play – like elevator buttons, escalators etc. implementing measures to prevent any potential spread of the virus and assure well-being of the passengers, once operations resume.  

Furthermore, at this crucial hour BEST services have extended its support to GVK MIAL for smooth transfer of the airport staff from across different zones in Mumbai. In coordination with the Police department, special passes have been issued for facilitating the employees commute to the airport safely. CISF has been working round the clock to ensure the safety and security of the airport. 

Passenger and employee welfare hold the highest priority for GVK MIAL and the airport endeavours to provide utmost care to all its stakeholders. GVK MIAL continues to enhance its healthcare and safety service by undertaking various healthcare initiatives and alert programs. These programs further ensure good health and precaution of all its employees, business partners and internal and external stakeholders. 

Green honour for CSMIA at the ACI Asia-Pacific Green Airports Recognition 2020

~ Awarded in ‘Over 35 million passengers per annum’ category for its implementation of outstanding environmental projects by the Airport Council International ~

Mumbai, March 03, 2020: GVK MIAL managing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) received a Silver Award at the esteemed ACI Asia-Pacific Green Airports Recognition 2020, in over 35 million passengers per annum category. The eminent panel of judges commended CSMIA for its unique water conservation project towards the implementation of waterless urinals at the airport. The airport was honoured in recognition of its sustainable Water Management approach and its continuous commitment to explore and promote opportunities towards environment-friendly practices.

CSMIA has redefined the cleaning and disinfection processes at the airport by undertaking sustainable operations for water management. It is the first Indian airport to implement waterless urinals that help in reducing water wastage and saves up to 1 lakh litres of water per day. Under this initiative around 539 urinals of Terminal 1 and terminal 2 were converted into waterless.

With an aim to further reduce fresh-water consumption, CSMIA has undertaken several initiatives for water conservation such as rainwater harvesting, drip irrigation, wastewater treatment & recycling, water efficiency projects, to name a few. The theme for this year ACI Asia-Pacific Green Airports Recognition 2020 was Water Management and CSMIA bagged silver for the category. 

CSMIA offers a holistic approach towards sustainable operations and has carried out various initiatives under environment management. These include airport carbon management system, airport carbon neutrality, sustainability reporting, renewable energy installations, wastewater recycling, effective waste management system, organic waste treatment, amongst others. Also, CSMIA keeps a close check on noise management, air quality monitoring, waste management and climate change, helping minimize the aviation industry’s impact on the environment. CSMIA aims to create an efficient, safe and healthy environment for its passengers and safeguard the environment for sustainable development in the aviation industry. 

The ACI Asia-Pacific Green Airports Recognition aims to promote environmental best practices to minimize aviation’s impact on the environment and to recognize ACI Asia-Pacific airport members who have outstanding accomplishments in their environmental projects. Every year a specific theme of recognition is chosen among various ecological aspects. The theme for this year is Water Management which includes projects that aim to foster water conservation and prevention of water pollution. 

About GVK MIAL

GVK Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) is a Public Private Partnership joint venture between a GVK-led consortium and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). GVK MIAL was awarded the mandate for operating and modernizing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai (CSMIA). Through this transformational initiative, GVK MIAL aims to make CSMIA one of the world’s best airports, which consistently delights customers besides being the pride of Mumbai. The new integrated Terminal 2 at CSMIA enhances the airport’s capacity to service 40 million passengers and 1.6 million tons of cargo annually.

You can follow GVK MIAL on:

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‘All Good Deli’-cacies now serving at CSMIA

 

~Organic, Vegan, Keto Friendly Food – CSMIA welcomes India’s first healthy restaurant, All Good Deli at Terminal 2~

Mumbai, February 26, 2020: As per a recent report by FICCI-PWC, the changing landscape of the retail food industry has seen consumers moving towards health and wellness that is driving the Indian food-servicing sector. Thereby bringing healthier and nourishing food options to passengers during their next departure from Mumbai, GVK MIAL managing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) brings India’s first wholesome, healthy restaurant – All Good Deli. Specializing in healthy food options, the restaurant offers a complete nourishment rich meal to travellers who are in a rush and wish to have a scrumptious meal before taking their flight. Emphasizing on the need to facilitate health-food options, Lite Bite Travel Foods which operates F&B at CSMIA has introduced this new facility keeping in mind needs of the growing domestic passengers departing from Terminal 2.

Taking the baton forward of setting new benchmarks, CSMIA with this new addition further expands its food offering by catering to travellers with allergies and special dietary needs. All Good Deli, the latest food offering at CSMIA brings freshly cooked healthy and organic food for passengers who are looking for wholesome food options without compromising on taste. The menu thrives on flavourful, fresh food where the ingredients of the dishes are the hero. The eatery offers a wide variety of salads, soups, probiotic smoothies, gluten-free pizzas, burgers and sandwiches, bliss balls, organic coffee and dairy-free smoothies which are served fresh round the clock.

With the growing need to eat right, passengers are looking for healthier options to snack at the airport, and therefor CSMIA understands the need to offer comfort food that is vegan, keto-friendly, preservative-free and at the same time light on the stomach. The eatery has designed the interiors aesthetically where the food and the ambience are in synchronization, making travellers feel relaxed and calm before their travel.

Keeping in mind the dynamic nature of passengers, CSMIA continuously works towards getting the best services and facilities in the airport. The newly launched healthy restaurant is the recent addition to the ever-growing list of F&B services that have been introduced, keeping in mind passenger centricity. Among the other new food introductions, CSMIA launched an order ahead food technology that lets passengers pre-order their meals and have it delivered to them at their boarding gates. In addition to the recently launched South Indian restaurant at the International Departure of Terminal 2 and lounge at Terminal 1-B.  

Launch offer – Take a picture of the Tent Card and avail 15% off on total bill, offer valid till March 31, 2020!

CSMIA extends its list of destinations to Russia and Kazakhstan

~Connectivity to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) will increase from 3 times a week to 18 times a week in Summer 2020~ 

~Route caters to young travellers looking for leisure as well as the bleisure travellers who are ready to explore the destination beyond trade ~ 

Mumbai, February 24, 2020: GVK-led Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) announces the introduction of new routes between Mumbai and destinations in Russia and Kazakhstan, also known as Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Operated by airlines like Aeroflot, Air Astana and Ural Air, CSMIA is not only providing passengers with the opportunity to explore the majestic landscape of Russia, the bold futuristic architecture of Kazakhstan amongst others, but also boosting trade relations between India and the CIS. The introduction of new flights to the CIS region will see an increase in flights from 3 times a week to 18 times a week in Summer 2020.

A highly attractive hub for bleisure travel, CIS countries offer a wide range of experiences for tourists.  Currently, CSMIA connects to the CIS state of Uzbekistan through Tashkent – the capital and largest city in the country with 03 flights per week. With a diverse cultural heritage, Tashkent offers an array of art across its architecture and infrastructure and insights into its rich history with monumental structures like The Registan, the ancient city of Khujand and Samarkand as well as the beautiful bazaars.

Fostering accessibility and increasing connectivity to the region, CSMIA will soon see the introduction of new flights to the state of Russia and Kazakhstan.  Kazakhstan is the world’s ninth biggest country offering greatest travel adventures, abundant wildlife and homespun hospitality. On the other hand, the CIS state - Russia is a perfect tourist destination universally known for its historical and architectural monuments. It is a popular hometown to some of the famous gardens, museums, and cathedrals, an ideal holiday destination for art and architecture lovers.

CIS Country	City	Airline	Date	Frequency
Russia	Moscow	Aeroflot Airline	Jul 01, 2020	Daily from Jul 02, 2020.
	Moscow	Ural Air	Mar 31, 2020	4 times per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday)
Kazakhstan	Almaty	Air Astana	Jun 01, 2020	4 times per week (Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Sunday)
Uzbekistan	Tashkent	Uzbekistan Airways	Operational	3 times per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday)

India shares a unique and special trade relation with the CIS countries since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Over the years, India has seen a steady growth in exports to the region from approximately 2.4 million USD in FY2016 to 3.5 million USD in FY2019, as per a study by Statista, with sectors like food and agribusiness, pharmaceuticals & healthcare, telecommunications, textiles and energy amongst others having high potential for future trade opportunities. With the growing trend of travel to lesser-known destinations, CSMIA has also observed a growth in passenger traffic to the CIS countries.

One of the busiest airports in the world, CSMIA caters to over 48.8 million passengers and connects to 50 destinations across India and the world. The airport delivers a unique and luxurious experience for every traveller through its various first-of-its kind services and facilities such as an end-to-end guest relation service “Pranaam”, an immersive experience of India’s largest public art initiative the ‘Jaya He’ museum inside the airport to name a few, making it the preferred choice of passengers across India. The airport is also the first in the country to launch interactive sessions with furry friends and salon services inside an airport to rejuvenate themselves and a unique order ahead food technology where passengers can order food as soon as they enter the airport and have it delivered to them at the boarding gates

Through its varied services, CSMIA is promoting easy access and connectivity to travellers from Mumbai and its adjacent cities like Pune, Ahmedabad, Nashik, Nagpur, Kochi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, to name a few. Through the introduction of these new international routes, CSMIA is sure to broaden trade relations as well as leisure capacities benefitting the countries as well as the young travellers.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) inaugurates the world’s largest and fully automated Export Cold Zone

 (Agro & Pharma Excellence Centre)

Mumbai February 21, 2020: GVK Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) managing the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) announces launch of the world’s largest airport-based temperature-controlled facility – Export Cold Zone. The state-of-the-art terminal encompasses unique facilities for the processing and storage of Agro and Pharma products. CSMIA is the largest gateway for Pharma & Agro products in India. Operated by its business partner “Cargo Service Centre (CSC)”, the leading cargo handling service provider in India, having a combination of operational excellence and domain expertise is committed to ensure seamless handling.

The first-of-its-kind facility was inaugurated by Chief Guest, Hon. Smt. Sungita Sharma (Principal Chief Commissioner of Customs, Central GST) in the presence of Guests of Honour, Hon. Smt. Bhavna Singh (Deputy Director General, Ministry of Civil Aviation) and Hon. Smt. V. Rama Mathew (Chief Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai Zone – III). The inaugural ceremony was attended by senior officials from air cargo fraternity along with regulatory authorities.

The facility can hold over 700 tons at one-time with a combined annual throughput of 5,25,000 tons. The fully automated infrastructure caters to the ever-burgeoning demand for pharmaceutical and agricultural goods. The Export Cold Zone is equipped with Truck docks with dock-levellers, Spacious acceptance & examination area, Automated workstations, X-Ray machines, ULD storage, Ballmat system for ULD transfer and Cold rooms.

Understanding the rapidly changing climatic changes and compliance requirements, GVK MIAL has ensured that the Pharma Excellence Centre offers an optimal temperature-controlled solution to Export Pharma products and enables advance technology to expedite handling and quick aircraft connection for transit Pharma. The state-of-the-art facility handling both active and passive temperature-controlled Pharma movements, offer customer specific solutions, end-to-end integrated digital systems and has a team of experienced, dedicated and well-trained staff.

Furthermore, GVK MIAL, a strategic member for Pharma-Aero, recognize the criticality of life-saving drugs, hence introduced an indigenous temperature-controlled transport solution “Cooltainer” for pharmaceutical products on the airport tarmac region in December 2019. The Cooltainer, world’s largest cold chain solution on the airport tarmac can accommodate two main-deck or two lower-deck pallets or a combination of both offering temperature range of +15°C to +25°C or +2°C to +8°C as per product requirement.  GVK MIAL is the first airport in India and third in Asia to obtain “IATA CEIV Pharma” accreditation, a global industry recognition supporting the air transport industry and is in full compliance with the pharmaceutical manufacturers requirements. As a leading airport in terms of e-freight and Pharma developments, GVK MIAL aims to cement Mumbai Airport’s foothold further in air freight supply chain capitalizing on all the business opportunities. MIAL is creating a comprehensive digital and temperature corridor between Mumbai and CEIV certified airports powered by GMAX.

Serving over 500 cargo destinations across 175 countries and a customer base of more than 60 airlines, GVK Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) offers a fast, secure and reliable supply chain to its clients. With the inclusion of CSMIA's first air cargo community portal – GMAX, provide access to world-class technology enabling smooth flow of cargo and an increase in freight penetration. Besides, technology MIAL has enabled stakeholders’ access to custodian mobile applications that offer real-time tracking of shipment that helps in delivering customized handling solutions for its clientele.