IndiGo operator Interglobe Aviation Limited in order to expand its international operations is in discussion with aircraft makers to buy 20 wide-body aircrafts, reported the Mint quoting people close to the matter.
Prior to this, IndiGo has never ordered a wide-body aircraft and currently operates a fleet of Airbus 320 aircrafts, smaller ATR aircraft and a fleet of Boeing 777 aircraft which is on lease align with the crew from Turkey, between India and Istanbul.
"IndiGo will be inducting around 15-20 wide-body aircraft. The airline has been in discussions with aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing for at least one year. It is expected to plan an order this year itself," one of the people with knowledge of the matter told Mint.
Another person told Mint that IndiGo had ordered Airbus 321 XLRs that can fly to Amsterdam from India, but is expected to join the fleet only in 2025. The report quoting the source said, "If IndiGo was to place a wide-body aircraft order now, it may get it in six months. It makes sense if the airline wants to induct wide-body, bridge that capacity gap and tap low-cost international flying at the same time."
IndiGo’s current aircraft fleet
Air India in February had ordered 470 aircrafts that included wide-body ones.
Its fleet of narrow-body aircraft can presently seat 222 passengers. IndiGo's fleet as of December 2022 consist of 302 planes that also includes 14 owned and 288 planes on operating lease.
IndiGo to buy 480 more jets
IndiGo also has another 480 jets including largely narrow-body aircraft and some turboprop jets are in pipeline and the induction of these will be completed by 2030, stated the report by Mint.
The government has asked airline companies to order wide-body aircrafts in order to directly connect to destinations like America and Europe with India.
Civil aviation minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia in an interview said, "It is important for me to give every avenue possible to my customers that means certainly look at international airlines and increasing their footprint into India.. but also look at out domestic flag carriers growing their footprint internationally, which is why I have been stressing to our airlines that we need to induct greater wide-body aircraft so that we can cross the seven seas and supplant our footing and make our mark there."
He later also added that he is glad that the airlines in the last one and half year have already started ordering wide-body aircraft.
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