Lufthansa Cargo has grounded its six weekly Boeing 777F flights from Frankfurt to Mumbai through Sept. 30, removing roughly 600 tonnes of weekly one-way lift from the Europe-India corridor as construction-driven congestion stalls ground handling at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

The cargo subsidiary of Lufthansa Group (XETRA: LHA) — operator of a 12-freighter 777F fleet — suspended the route on Sept. 20, citing operating problems tied to a major construction project at the Adani Group-operated hub. The 10-day stoppage lands during India's peak autumn shipping window.

What is choking Mumbai's cargo terminal?

Mumbai Airport recorded its highest cargo volumes of the year this month, according to the airport operator, with truck queues stretching up to three days outside the terminals. Forwarders say cargo acceptance, customs clearance, and handling have all slowed in parallel, leaving cleared shipments stranded on the apron.

"Mumbai Airport is currently witnessing its higher cargo volumes, with cargo traffic recording a surge driven by heightened seasonal demand ahead of the festive period and increased movement of time-sensitive shipments through air cargo channels," the airport operator said in a statement earlier this month.

Adani Group, which runs the airport, attributed the spike to festive-period demand, time-sensitive air shipments, and a rising share of non-standard, odd-sized freight that requires specialized handling equipment and larger terminal staging space. The combination has left ground handlers unable to turn trucks within standard windows.

What does it mean for shippers and forwarders?

The disruption reaches well beyond a single carrier. Houston-based Crane Worldwide Logistics told customers that several airlines have temporarily suspended or significantly restricted freighter operations due to infrastructure constraints, cargo backlogs, and ground-handling limits at Mumbai.

International freight forwarder EFL issued a customer notice warning that fresh-cargo consolidation is restricted and that cleared shipments are taking longer to reach airline terminals. "These conditions may affect planned flight connections and cargo cut-off times," EFL wrote. "Customers with shipments moving through Mumbai are advised to allow for additional transit and clearance time while these conditions continue."

A Lufthansa Cargo spokesperson confirmed the pause does not affect cargo carried in the bellies of Lufthansa Group passenger aircraft, which continue to operate normally. Independent reporting could not confirm which carriers besides Lufthansa Cargo have scaled back scheduled freighter lift into the hub.

For Europe-to-India shippers, the timing lands during the run-up to the festive period, when air capacity out of Mumbai typically tightens and benchmark rates climb on the lane.

Where does the cargo go from here?

Lufthansa Cargo resumes service on Oct. 1 — but at the new Navi Mumbai International Airport, where most scheduled freighter operators are relocating. Hong Kong-based Cathay Cargo moved its Mumbai freighter service to the new facility on Monday of this week, joining the broader industry migration ahead of the festive peak.

The shift points to a structural fix for chronic congestion at Chhatrapati Shivaji. Navi Mumbai already hosts FedEx's planned $250 million dedicated parcel hub, giving time-sensitive shippers a purpose-built alternative as the legacy airport works through one of its busiest months of the year.

Expect elevated airfreight rates, longer transit times, and tighter capacity on the Frankfurt-Mumbai lane through Sept. 30, with forwarders urging shippers to build three-to-five-day buffers into supply chains as carriers complete the migration to Navi Mumbai and seasonal volumes normalize into October.