IndiGo Expands Fleet with New Airbus A350 Orders to Compete with Air India
IndiGo's Strategic Move Against Air India
In a bid to challenge Air India, the prominent Tata Group airline, IndiGo has unveiled an ambitious plan. The airline announced on Sunday that it has placed an order for an additional 30 Airbus A350 wide-body aircraft. This follows a previous order for the same number of planes, bringing the total to 60.
Last April, IndiGo had already ordered 30 A350 aircraft, with an option to acquire a total of 70. During a briefing in the national capital, CEO Peter Elbers confirmed that the airline is now firming up the order for 30 more planes. Currently, IndiGo has over 900 aircraft on order, which are set to be delivered in the coming years.
Launch of Non-Stop Flights
Earlier on Friday, CEO Elbers announced that IndiGo plans to introduce non-stop flights to 10 major international cities in the fiscal year 2025-26. Destinations will include London, Athens, Amsterdam, Manchester, Copenhagen, Siem Reap, and four cities in Central Asia. This initiative is expected to position IndiGo in direct competition with Air India, which currently operates non-stop flights to destinations like London.
Growing Demand for Airlines
Elbers noted that there has been a significant surge in demand for air travel in the global market. He highlighted that 90% of India's population now resides near airports served by IndiGo flights, indicating the airline's rapid growth both domestically and internationally. In fiscal year 2025, IndiGo aims to launch over 100 new routes, including 40 international and 20 domestic destinations.