GURUGRAM- India’s largest carrier, IndiGo Airlines (6E), recently awarded the ‘Airline of the Year’ at the Air Transport Awards 2024 and is reportedly exploring the purchase of widebody aircraft (probably A350). This move could enhance its international presence and intensify competition with Air India (AI).
The event took place in Athens, Greece, last week. This esteemed event attracted participation from key figures in the aviation industry.
IndiGo Close to A350 Order?
According to sources familiar with details told Bloomberg, the airline is currently weighing several options, with the potential order of approximately 30 Airbus A350s emerging as the frontrunner.
An announcement regarding the decision could be forthcoming in the next few weeks. However, there is a possibility that IndiGo may alter its plans regarding timing and the number of aircraft.
IndiGo has previously contemplated the idea of introducing long-haul services to cater to the increasing number of affluent Indian travelers venturing to destinations such as the UK and Europe.
While the low-cost carrier presently operates two Boeing 777s leased from Turkish Airlines (TK) for flights to Istanbul, its fleet primarily consists of single-aisle jets, predominantly from Airbus.
During the Paris Airshow 2023, the Indian carrier placed a record order for 500 Airbus A320neo family planes. Following this, the airline has a combined backlog of over 1000 Airbus aircraft.
Last quarter, IndiGo experienced a nearly 27% growth in capacity, coupled with a rise of over 23% in the number of passengers carried. Additionally, the airline successfully achieved its forecasted capacity expansion target, surpassing the “north of mid-teens” mark, and achieved the milestone of flying over 100 million passengers by the end of the financial year on March 31.
The carrier plans to augment its fleet by adding more than one aircraft per week in the upcoming year. As of February 29, IndiGo operated 366 planes, with an additional 960 on order.
Airline of the Year Award
While accepting the award, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers attributed the achievement to the unwavering commitment and dedication of all 35,000 IndiGo colleagues, emphasizing their pivotal role in making IndiGo the first Indian airline to surpass 100 million passengers in 2023.
Elbers highlighted IndiGo’s rapid growth trajectory, attributing it to the airline’s fundamental principles: offering affordable fares, maintaining punctuality, and delivering courteous and seamless travel experiences across its extensive network.
The 2024 Air Transport Awards, organized in collaboration with Hermes – Air Transport Organization and ATN – Air Transport News, aimed to acknowledge the significant contributions within the aviation sector.
Award recipients were determined through a combination of votes from Air Transport News readers and evaluations by an esteemed panel of international aviation experts.
IndiGo has achieved significant milestones, notably becoming the first Indian airline to operate 2,000 daily flights and surpassing 100 million passengers annually.
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