IndiGo’s Massive Investment in Fleet Expansion in 2023 from Airbus Wins Praise from French FM

India’s largest airline, IndiGo, is reportedly in talks with Airbus to purchase hundreds of aircraft, according to French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire. The French publication Les Echos quoted Le Maire saying that IndiGo is “back with a bang” and negotiating a serious aircraft purchase. The contract may be signed at the French airshow in Le Bourget in June, the report said, adding that Le Maire made the comments during his recent visit to India for a G20 Summit. When contacted, IndiGo did not comment on the development.

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, has announced a new alliance with Turkish Airlines to expand its reach into Europe. The move occurs as IndiGo plans to receive 500 more aircrafts from Airbus, already on order, to support its proposed expansion. Vinay Malhotra, Head of International Sales of IndiGo, stated that the expansion plan will enhance passenger services from India to Istanbul and beyond, while also allowing IndiGo to penetrate Europe like never before.

IndiGo currently operates over 300 planes and flies to 76 domestic and 26 international destinations, with plans to add flights to two more domestic destinations, Nashik and Dharamshala. The airline has also ordered planes from Airbus and US-based aerospace major, Boeing.

Malhotra stated that the new collaboration with Turkish Airlines is a codeshare agreement that will allow IndiGo to carry passengers from India to Istanbul and beyond. “We are having 27 points precise in Europe which covers the UK, France, Italy, Ireland, Austria, Switzerland, and so many more points. These points have multiple frequencies with Turkish airlines, and with our collaboration as a codeshare with them, we are able to carry passengers from India to Istanbul and from Istanbul to beyond. Within India too, with our 76 online points, we are able to funnel people from all over India into Delhi and Mumbai, further to Istanbul and then beyond to Europe,” he said.

IndiGo’s CEO Pieter Elbers also spoke on the growth potential in the Indian market, stating that “there is a lot going on in the Indian aviation landscape. The fact that Indian aviation is getting into the next stage, including the consolidation being done under the Air India group, is a natural evolution of the market.” He added that competition is welcome, as the Indian market has a huge potential for travellers both within India and overseas.

The partnership with Turkish Airlines is part of IndiGo’s plan to expand its international presence and provide better services to its customers. With the addition of 500 new aircraft and a growing partnership network, IndiGo is poised to make a big difference on the aviation industry in India and beyond.

Airbus, however, confirmed that the company was in constant discussions with airlines, but said it could not comment on any specific talks. Meanwhile, IndiGo’s domestic rival, Air India, recently announced record deals for 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing. The provisional deals include 220 planes from Boeing and 250 from Airbus, marking a new milestone in the aviation industry.

Air India’s Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer (CCTO), Nipun Aggrawal, said on LinkedIn that the company has placed an order for 470 firm aircraft as well as 370 options and buy rights from Airbus and Boeing over the next ten years.

Apart from IndiGo and Air India, Akasa Air, a new Indian airline, has ordered 72 Boeing narrow-body aircraft, according to sources. The airline has already received 16 of the planes, leaving 56 still on order. This follows similar orders from other Indian airlines, including Go First (formerly known as Go Air), which has 72 planes on order, and Vistara, which is set to receive 17 more Boeing planes.

Currently, there are around 700 commercial aircraft in operation in India, the majority of which are narrow-body or single-aisle planes. Of these, approximately 470 are Airbus planes and 159 are from Boeing. The latter company has projected that India will require around 2,210 new planes over the next two decades.

This surge in demand for aircraft reflects the continued growth of India’s aviation sector, which has been expanding rapidly in recent years. With more and more Indians opting to fly domestically and internationally, airlines are looking to add new planes to their fleets to keep up with demand. As such, Boeing and other aircraft manufacturers are likely to continue to enjoy strong demand from Indian airlines for years to come.

IndiGo (6E) has achieved significant progress in 2022 to establish itself as one of the world’s most significant low-cost carriers (LCCs), according to the airline’s recent report.

One of the hardest-hit locations by the COVID-19 epidemic was the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, where 6E does the majority of its business. Despite this, IndiGo was nevertheless able to turn a profit in the third quarter of 2022, posting its highest-ever earnings because to rising domestic demand and the reopening of foreign markets.

The largest low-cost airline in India significantly contributed to the development of the nation by transporting more than 50% of all travellers and acquiring 50 or more aircraft. IndiGo’s numbers from 2022 reveal its impressive growth.

In 2022, the airline carried approximately 78 million passengers, including 736,000 international travelers, 18 million business travelers, and 70 million domestic passengers.

The airline mainly focuses on domestic routes, capturing a 56% market share in India, but it still operates close to 25 international routes.

Over 350 flights were run by Indigo (6E) from Delhi International Airport, the airport serving India’s capital (DEL). Furthermore, 6E performed nearly 125,000 takeoffs and landings from DEL to its extensive domestic networks. Over 5,000 planes were landed on foreign soil.

Delhi (DEL) to Bengaluru (BLR), which saw 807,470 passengers, was the airline’s busiest route in 2022. 

The airline expanded its network by seven new locations, five local and two foreign, and will reach 100 destinations in 2022.

With 55 new jets going online last year, the airline’s fleet now numbers close to 300 aircraft, making it one of the largest operators of A320neo and A321neo aircraft.

IndiGo is also one of the top recruiters of aviation professionals in the country, with 5,857 professionals joining the airline in 2022.

In February 2022, the airline made history by performing India’s first international Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) flight, using an Airbus A320neo. This milestone demonstrates IndiGo’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and leading the way in sustainable aviation.

The airline’s dedication to excellence has not gone unnoticed. According to OAG data, IndiGo became the world’s sixth-largest airline by passenger volume in March 2022. The aviation analytics company also recognized IndiGo as the fastest-growing airline globally, with a frequency increase of 41.3% in the same month.

IndiGo made history in April 2022 when it was the first airline in Asia to make a landing with the help of GAGAAN. GPS-Aided GEO Augmented Navigation is used in this state-of-the-art technology, which ISRO and AAI jointly developed, to improve the precision and dependability of satellite-based navigation.

To lead the company forward, IndiGo brought onboard Pieter Elbers, former President and CEO of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, as its new CEO in May 2022. The move demonstrated the airline’s commitment to bringing in experienced leadership to fuel its continued growth.

In August 2022, IndiGo introduced a game-changing “Three-Point Disembarkation System” to mark its sixteenth anniversary. This innovative approach, which utilizes two forward and one rear exit ramp, makes IndiGo the first airline globally to use this process.

When the airline got its first A321 Freighter aircraft in September 2022, which had been converted from a passenger jet to a complete freighter configuration, the airline’s dedication to innovation and expansion continued. With this addition, IndiGo’s freight capabilities are improved, and its position as the market leader in India for aviation is strengthened.

By becoming the first airline in India to introduce a digital logbook for pilots in December 2022, IndiGo further established its reputation as an innovator in the sector. Pilots can benefit from direct flight data transfer from IndiGo systems to eGCA logbooks because to a partnership between the DGCA and the e-logbook, which increases efficiency and accuracy.

With the largest-ever new station opening, the airline will connect New Goa International Airport (GOX) to eight destinations throughout India in December 2022, capping off an incredible year. After introducing its first ATR 72-600 aircraft in 2017 to improve regional air connectivity throughout India, IndiGo has come a long way. IndiGo is in a good position to maintain its position as a pioneer in the aviation sector as it continues to forge new ground.

Innovating in sustainability, growth, and innovation, IndiGo Airlines has been creating waves in the aviation sector.

edited and proofread by nikita sharma