Latest news with #Boeing777
Mint
a day ago
- Business
- Mint
IndiGo can't use Turkish Airlines aircraft after 31 August as it gets ‘last and final' extension
IndiGo has received a 'last and final' three-month extension from India's civil aviation regulator, after which it will have to stop using wet-leased aircraft from Turkish Airlines as the government curtails business ties with Ankara for supporting Pakistan. IndiGo can now use the aircraft till 31 August 2025 against the earlier deadline of 31 May 2025, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement on Friday. The airline had sought an extension of six months, which was rejected. 'IndiGo has been granted a one-time last and final extension of 3 months based on the undertaking from the airline that, they will terminate the wet lease with Turkish Airline within this extension period, and shall not seek any further extension for these operations,' the DGCA said. Sentiments are running high against Turkey in India for providing arms to Pakistan. India and Pakistan were engaged in a four-day military conflict after 'Operation Sindoor' on 7 May, targeting nine terror launch pads across the border. 'Flights between India and Turkey are governed within the bilateral air service agreement,' IndiGo's chief executive officer Pieter Elbers said at an event in New Delhi on Friday. 'We are compliant today and we will continue to comply with any government regulations on those lines.' IndiGo signed a wet-lease agreement with Turkish Airlines in 2022 for two Boeing 777 widebody aircraft with a capacity of 500 passengers, connecting Delhi and Mumbai with flights to Istanbul. In a wet lease, an airline gets an aircraft along with the crew for a set period of time from another carrier. IndiGo currently has wet-leased aircraft from Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Norse Atlantic Airways. IndiGo received its first plane from Turkish Airlines in February 2023 and the second in May 2023. 'Though I'm personally unhappy, given the Turkish connection, it's important to note extension has been given for just three months,' Sanjay Lazar, aviation expert and CEO of Avialaz Consultants, said. 'It's apparent that the DGCA has indicated that the airline should exit from the agreement as soon as possible.' IndiGo plans to add 10 international–across Europe and Central Asia–and four new domestic destinations in the financial year 2026. 'We will add Hindon, Adampur, Navi Mumbai and Noida as domestic destinations, which will take the total domestic destinations count to 95 in FY26,' Elbers said. 'In terms of international, we will add Manchester, Amsterdam, London, Copenhagen, Siem Reap, Athens and 4 more destinations in Central Asia, taking total international destinations count to 50 in FY26.' IndiGo will be starting its long-haul operations with non-stop connectivity from Mumbai to Manchester and Mumbai to Amsterdam from July 2025. The airline will use its wet-leased Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft from Norse Atlantic Airways.
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
DGCA Orders IndiGo to End Boeing Damp Lease with Turkish Airlines Amid Security Concerns, ET Infra
Advt Advt By , ETInfra NEW DELHI: India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA ), has dictated to India's largest airline IndiGo to terminate its Boeing aircraft damp lease agreement with Turkish Airlines by August damp lease of two Boeing 777-300ER aircraft by Indigo Airlines from Turkish Airlines was set to expire on Saturday but the same has been extended by the regulator till August 31 in order to avoid passenger inconvenience.'Indigo is currently operating two B777-300ER aircraft under damp lease from Turkish Airlines, which was permitted up to 31.05.2025. Indigo requested for a further extension of the same for another six months, which was not agreed to,' the DGCA said in a statement.'However, in order to avoid passenger inconvenience due to immediate flight disruption, Indigo has been granted a one-time last and final extension of three months up to 31.08.2025 for these damp leased aircraft, based on the undertaking from the airline that, they will terminate the damp lease with Turkish Airlines within this extension period, and shall not seek any further extension for these operations,' the statement further had earlier opted to operate Boeing 777 aircraft to Istanbul on a damp lease from Turkish Airlines due to capacity shortage and supply chain issues in the aviation industry. The agreement helped IndiGo to gain experience on operating wide-bodied aircraft and undertaking long-haul diktat from the regulator has come after the security clearance to Turkish origin ground handling firm Celebi was revoked by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security after Turkey 's military and diplomatic support to Pakistan against India during ' Operation Sindoor ' raised national security concerns. Celebi operated at nine Indian airports and also provided ground handling services for Indian military and government is a key market for IndiGo and the airline has relied on its partnership with Turkish Airlines, including aircraft damp lease and codeshare pact, to expand its reach in the continent.
India.com
a day ago
- Business
- India.com
India Cuts Aviation Ties With Turkey? Know Why IndiGo Told To End Lease Amid Operation Sindoor Row
In a significant diplomatic move after Turkey's overt support for Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, the Indian government has asked budget airline IndiGo to cancel its aircraft leasing agreement with Turkish Airlines. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has extended a final three-month reprieve to IndiGo, enabling it to keep two leased Boeing 777 planes in operation till August 31, 2025. The action comes at the heels of the Centre's decision to withdraw the security clearance of Turkey-associated ground handling firm Celebi Aviation that held presence at nine international airports across India, including Delhi. Citing national security, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said, "Turkey had openly supported Pakistan. In view of the current situation, this has become an issue of national security." Extension of damp lease of two B777-300ER aircraft by IndiGo Airlines from Turkish Airlines. DGCA says, "IndiGo is currently operating two B777-300ER aircraft under damp lease from Turkish Airline, which was permitted upto 31.05.2025. IndiGo requested for a further extension of… — ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2025 Final Extension For IndiGo-Turkish Pact IndiGo's initial lease authorisation was effective until May 31. The carrier had requested a six-month extension to keep the wide-body planes flying on international long-haul routes. The ministry, however, turned it down and gave a one-time final extension. "IndiGo has been granted a one-time last and final extension of three months up to 31.08.2025 for these damp-leased aircraft, based on the undertaking from the airline that they will terminate the lease with Turkish Airlines within this extension period, and shall not seek any further extension," stated the ministry in a release. IndiGo also has a codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines. In an interview with NDTV earlier, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers confirmed that the airline is in line with Indian regulations but is ready to adjust if policies change. "If the government were to change its set of rules, of course we will comply,' Elbers said. 'Our only pressure is ensuring service continuity for customers who have placed their trust in us." Turkey's Role During Operation Sindoor Turkey had infuriated India after giving firm diplomatic backing to Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack that resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals. While India carried out cross-border retaliation — codenamed Operation Sindoor — Turkish-made drones were said to have been used by Pakistan to launch a counterattack. The missiles and drones fired from across the border were largely countered by India's state-of-the-art air defense systems, including the S-400 and local missile systems, during three days of conflict. Legal Hurdles For Celebi Aviation After the ban on Celebi Aviation, the Turkish company approached several high courts questioning the decision of the government. While hearing one such petition, the Delhi High Court observed, "The rule is better safe than sorry," in effect supporting the government's cautious approach. Since diplomatic pressure continues, Centre's instruction to cut aviation relations with Turkish players is being viewed as part of a wider gamut to combat states openly supporting hostile activity against India.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
IndiGo to terminate Turkish Airlines lease deal by end of August after final extension
By Abhijith Ganapavaram NEW DELHI (Reuters) -IndiGo will terminate its leasing agreement with Turkish Airlines by August 31 after India's aviation regulator said on Friday it would only extend the deal for three months, a move that will push the carrier to seek alternatives. The agreement between the two airlines has come under public criticism in India after Turkey came out in support for Pakistan during the recent conflict between the two South Asian neighbours. The pact has also been opposed by IndiGo's rival Air India, which has lobbied the Indian government to end the deal, citing business impact and security concerns, Reuters has previously reported. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said it had denied IndiGo's request for a six-month extension and approved only three months, citing passenger convenience, confirming an earlier Reuters report. The lease was due to expire on Saturday. The regulator said IndiGo gave an undertaking that it will terminate the lease with state-owned Turkish Airlines by August 31 and will not seek a further extension. IndiGo was not immediately available for comment. It has previously defended the Turkish partnership, saying it offers multiple benefits to Indian travellers and boosts aviation growth and jobs. Turkey's support for Pakistan during the recent conflict has sparked a boycott of Turkish products, including chocolates, coffee and clothing in India. IndiGo has had a codeshare partnership with Turkish Airlines since 2018 and has used that to connect travellers from India to a growing number of destinations in Europe and the U.S. in the last few years, making Istanbul an important hub for India's largest domestic airline. Since 2023, Turkish Airlines has leased to IndiGo two Boeing 777 aircraft with pilots and some crew. The aircraft currently operate on the Delhi-Istanbul and Mumbai-Istanbul routes, allowing IndiGo to carry more passengers, compared with the narrowbodies it operated previously. IndiGo has been leasing aircraft to tide over aircraft delivery delays and expand internationally. The airline expects its first Airbus A350 by early 2027 and the long-range A321XLR this financial year. In the absence of the leased 777s, IndiGo could go back to operating narrowbody aircraft on the two routes, or it could use widebody aircraft it has leased from Norse Atlantic Airways. It could also deploy the XLRs once they are delivered, analysts have said. The regulator's decision to give a limited extension comes after the Indian government earlier this month revoked the security clearance of Turkish ground handling service firm Celebi, citing national security, prompting a lawsuit from the Indian arm of the Turkish firm.
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Will exit Turkish aircraft lease in three months, IndiGo tells DGCA
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday said it has granted budget carrier IndiGo a three-month extension to operate two Boeing 777 aircraft taken on wet lease from Turkish Airlines, after the airline submitted an undertaking to terminate the lease within this extended period. The lease period was coming to an end on May 31 and the Indian carrier had sought an extension of six months. The DGCA refused. "However, in order to avoid passenger inconvenience due to immediate flight disruption, IndiGo has been granted a one-time last and final extension of three months upto August 31, 2025, for these damp leased aircraft, based on the undertaking from the airline that, they will terminate the damp lease with Turkish Airline within this extension period, and shall not seek any further extension for these operations," the regulator stated. Under the wet lease terms, the aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance are all provided by the lessor — Turkish Airlines. The lessee — IndiGo — on the other hand, sells tickets and markets the service. The DGCA's approval has come amid escalating diplomatic tensions between India and Turkey. This follows the latter's diplomatic and military support to Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 and Operation Sindoor on May 7. It allowed IndiGo to start flights to Istanbul, which is outside the range of a normal narrowbody plane like A320. For IndiGo, this comes without it immediately investing in widebody aircraft. Of the around 430 planes in IndiGo's fleet, only three are widebody — two leased from Turkish Airlines and one from Norse Atlantic Airways. The remaining are narrowbody aircraft. Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, IndiGo Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Pieter Elbers defended the airline's partnership with Turkish Airlines. He said it functions within established international norms and government policies. 'The relationship between countries in the aviation sector is governed by what are known as Air Services Agreements. These define the number of flights that can be operated between nations,' Elbers said. He added that the airline operates in full compliance with the regulatory framework in place. 'If there are any changes in the framework, we will naturally adjust our operations to stay aligned,' he said. Elbers also emphasised that the leased aircraft are serving a clear passenger need, with the vast majority of travellers on these flights being Indian nationals. 'People have made travel plans and bookings. Our priority is to ensure that we continue to serve them. At the same time, we remain alert and responsive to any changes in the regulatory or geopolitical landscape,' he said. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), on May 15, revoked the security clearance of Istanbul-based Çelebi Aviation Holding, citing national security concerns. Çelebi, which provided ground handling services at major Indian airports, challenged the decision in court.
