Latest news with #AirbusA321XLRs
The Hindu
a day ago
- Business
- The Hindu
IndiGo CEO pitches for India as global hub for connecting flights
With 65% of the world population within 5-6 hours of flying distance from India, the country has the potential to be a global aviation hub as well as expand its outbound travel market, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said on Friday ahead of a major international airlines meet being hosted in the national capital. 'If you realise that 65% of the world population lives within five to six hours of flying time from India, it basically means we have an opportunity to start building India not only as a point- to- point destination, but also as a great place to connect,' Elbers said during a press briefing. IndiGo is the host airline for International Air Transport Association's 3-day summit starting June 1 which will see over 1700 participates. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also give an address at the event. 'If there could be great hubs to the west and east of India, why shouldn't we have it here. So, the opportunity really is to build it going forward,' he added. The pitch for building India as a hub (or a central transfer point that connects passengers between multiple international destinations), which is the direction the Indian government has been driving the industry towards for the past few years, comes at a time IndiGo is set to enter the long-haul market with non-stop flights to destinations in Europe such as Manchester and Amsterdam that will be launched in early July, and London and Copenhagen that are expected to take off during the winter season. There will be more destinations such as Athens in Greece that the airline will fly to once it starts adding Airbus A321 XLRs to its fleet by the end of this year. The airline will start adding its own brand new widebodies from 2027 when the Airbus A350s will join its fleet allowing it 'the opportunity to go anywhere in the world.' Investments were needed in infrastructure as well as the aviation industry to execute hub ambitions, he said, as aviation was 'a force for good'. Aviation makes a contribution of $54 billion to India's GDP, or equivalent of 1.5% of the GDP. It creates 8 million jobs where one aircraft results in the creation of over 100 new airline jobs, and one aviation job results in 6.1 jobs economy wide, Mr Elbers said. To bolster the case for India to become an aviation hub, the IndiGo CEO said that while the world was still recovering from the impact of Covid-19, India was expected to record 20% more passengers this year than pre-COVID-19, while IndiGo had clocked 118 million passengers last year as compared to 78 million pre pandemic- almost 50% growth in passengers. 'There is an enormous opportunity as an international outbound tourism market. There is unstoppable growth,' Mr. Elbers said. There is also potential for airlines to expand as there were only 0.13 flight seats per capita in India, which was one-fifth of 0.59 per capita seats in China for domestic travellers. On the international front, the per capita seats in India were half of China, he said. On Friday, the airline also announced an agreement with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) for building a state-of-the art MRO (Maintenance Repair Overhaul) facility on 31 acre of land.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
IndiGo starts Europe & UK flights from July 1; will finally serve hot meals onboard
NEW DELHI: Using the wet lease route to expand its international network, IndiGo will, from July 1, 2025, launch thrice weekly flights between Mumbai and Manchester. And from the next day, IndiGo will start nonstop flights between Mumbai and Amsterdam. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Both these thrice weekly routes will be launched using the wet-leased (hired with operating crew) of Norse Atlantic. With Pakistan airspace closed for overflying by Indian carriers, IndiGo has started its Europe flights from Mumbai. And not the national capital, to avoid the much longer routes they would have had to take. 'Upgrading its in-flight dining experience, complimentary hot meals and beverages will be served to all customers' on the two routes, the airline said. Meals sold on board IUndiGo flights — almost all cold except the dip-in-hot-water-for-five-minute versions — have long been the biggest chink in its otherwise formidable armour which has made this LCC biggest Indian airline with over 60% domestic market share. Now, this issue has been resolved with the Europe flights it launches from July. IndiGo says the Amsterdam and Manchester routes are 'the start of an exciting new chapter in IndiGo's growth journey… The introduction of more B787-9 from Norse, and the arrival of IndiGo's Airbus A321XLRs (extra long range) starting this year and A350 from 2027 will usher a new era enabling the airline to offer long-haul flights with IndiGo's unique value proposition,' the airline says. IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said: 'I am thrilled to announce IndiGo's long-haul debut... We are stretching our wings further to enhance accessibility and convenience to customers traveling to Europe for leisure, business, and education, as well as unlocking IndiGo's unparalleled domestic network, showcasing 'India by IndiGo' to foreign travellers. Celebrating India and its unique cuisine, we're very proud to announce specially curated complimentary hot meals and beverages by iconic home-grown Indian brands will be served to all our customers on this route. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This will be a major milestone in our international growth journey as we move towards our vision to become a global aviation leader, propelling India's ambition of transforming into a global aviation hub. With every new global connection, IndiGo is taking India to the world and bringing the world to India.'
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
IndiGo to start Europe & UK flights from July 1; will finally serve hot meals onboard
NEW DELHI: Using the wet lease route to expand its international network, IndiGo will from July 1, 2025, launch thrice weekly flights between Mumbai and Manchester. And from the next day, IndiGo will start nonstops between Mumbai and Amsterdam. Both these thrice weekly routes will be launched using the wet leased Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners (hired with operating crew) of Norse Atlantic. With Pakistan airspace closed for overflying by Indian carriers, IndiGo has started its Europe flights from Mumbai. And not the national capital to avoid the much longer routes they would have had to take. 'Upgrading its in-flight dining experience, complimentary hot meals and beverages will be served to all customers' on thee two routes, the airline said. Meals sold on board IndiGo flights — almost all cold except the dip-in-hot-water-for-five-minute versions — have long been the biggest chink in its otherwise formidable armour which has made this LCC biggest Indian airline with over 60% domestic market share. Now, this issue has been resolved with the Europe flights it launches from July. IndiGo says the Amsterdam and Manchester routes are 'the start of an exciting new chapter in IndiGo's growth journey… The introduction of more B787-9 from Norse, and the arrival of IndiGo's Airbus A321XLRs (extra long range) starting this year and A350 from 2027 will usher a new era enabling the airline to offer long-haul flights with IndiGo's unique value proposition,' the airline says. IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said: 'I am thrilled to announce IndiGo's long-haul debut... We are stretching our wings further to enhance accessibility and convenience to customers traveling to Europe for leisure, business, and education, as well as unlocking IndiGo's unparalleled domestic network, showcasing 'India by IndiGo' to foreign travellers. Celebrating India and its unique cuisine, we're very proud to announce specially curated complimentary hot meals and beverages, by iconic home-grown Indian brands, will be served to all our customers on this route. This will be a major milestone in our international growth journey as we move towards our vision to become a global aviation leader, propelling India's ambition of transforming into a global aviation hub…. With every new global connection, IndiGo is taking India to the world and bringing the world to India Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
American Airlines' new Flagship Suite business class will enter service on these routes
American Airline's latest business class product is about to take flight. The airline announced Friday that its new Flagship Suites will go on sale on select routes starting next week, with service set to begin on some flights as soon as next month. The new suites will begin service on new Boeing 787-9 aircraft, and will later be introduced on Airbus A321XLRs and retrofitted Boeing 777-300ERs. The seats feature fully lie-flat beds and closing doors. 'Every aspect of our new 787-9 is designed to feel premium in nature,' Heather Garboden, American's Chief Customer Officer said in a statement. 'Whether flying for business or pleasure, having the opportunity to explore other parts of the world should be an exciting and memorable experience that begins the moment you book your flight, long before you reach your final destination.' The 787s will feature new premium economy seats as well. According to American, these are the first round-trip routes the new seats will be available on: Chicago (ORD) to London (LHR) beginning June 5 Philadelphia (PHL) to London (LHR) beginning Aug. 6 Philadelphia (PHL) to Zurich (ZHR) beginning Sept. 3 Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) to Brisbane (BNE) beginning Oct. 26. Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Here are the first routes with American Airlines' new business class
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
American Airlines (AAL) Debuts New Business-Class Suites With Doors Amid Premium Cabin Shift
American Airlines (AAL, Financials) is phasing out long-haul first class in favor of a new generation of business-class suites featuring sliding privacy doors. The move signals the carrier's push to win over high-paying international travelers, starting with the launch of its Flagship Suites on Boeing 787-9 aircraft beginning June 5. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Sign with AAL. The rollout begins with a ChicagoLondon route, followed by PhiladelphiaLondon on August 6 and PhiladelphiaZurich on September 3. Each retrofitted 787-9 will house 51 of these upgraded business-class seats, a significant jump from the current 30. A roundtrip between Philadelphia and London in the new suite is currently listed at $5,342 on the airline's website. The seat redesign was first unveiled in September 2022 but was delayed due to supply chain issues affecting the entire industry. American is also preparing to retrofit its older 777-300ER aircraft and will adopt a smaller version of the suite for upcoming Airbus A321XLRs. The pivot reflects a broader industry trend as major U.S. carriers abandon traditional first class to cater to business travelers seeking privacy and comfort. Delta Air Lines (DAL, Financials), United Airlines (UAL, Financials), and JetBlue Airways (JBLU, Financials) have all introduced or announced similar high-end cabin experiences featuring sliding doors. Latam Airlines, based in Chile, recently launched its own business-class refresh as part of a $360 million investment. In addition to the new seating, American is expanding perks like free Wi-Fi for loyalty program members, aligning with similar offerings from Delta and United. With seat delivery timelines stretched by complex cabin upgrades, the competition for international premium passengers is intensifying. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
