Latest news with #EdBastian
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
IndiGo expands network with Air France-KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Delta deal
By Abhijith Ganapavaram NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India's largest airline IndiGo has entered an agreement with Air France-KLM, Virgin Atlantic and Delta to expand its long-haul services to North America, Europe and Britain, the airlines said on Sunday. IndiGo has an extensive domestic network in India, the world's third-largest air passenger market, and is expanding its international reach. Separately IndiGo also said it would convert 30 out of 70 options for Airbus A350 jets into firm orders for new planes. Once the airline partnership is complete, IndiGo will be able to sell flights under its own name on those operated by its partners out of India, and onward travel from Amsterdam and Manchester, UK, on selected flights to Europe and North America. IndiGo will start flying to Amsterdam and Manchester from July. Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic already code-share on IndiGo's domestic flights. The Delta partnership is new. U.S. carrier Delta has not flown to India since the pandemic. CEO Ed Bastian told media at an airline summit in New Delhi that Delta will restart direct services from the United States to India over the next couple of years. "There's not a more important market in aviation at the present time than in India," Bastian said. Delta is planning nonstop flights between Atlanta and Delhi, subject to government approval, a joint statement said. IndiGo is hosting the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) annual meeting in New Delhi from Sunday. IndiGo is aiming to grow its fleet to 600 aircraft by 2030, from more than 400 currently, and has been leasing aircraft to tide it over aircraft delivery delays and expand internationally. It recently said it will lease six Boeing 787 wide-body jets from Norse Atlantic Airways by early next year. India's aviation regulator said last week it would only extend an existing leasing arrangement IndiGo has with Turkish Airlines to the end of August. The arrangement has been publicly criticised in India after Turkey came out in support of Pakistan during the recent conflict between the two South Asian neighbours.
Mint
3 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Delta Sees Demand Ticking Up Again After ‘Choppy' First Months
(Bloomberg) -- Delta Air Lines Inc. Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian said he's more confident about demand in the second half of the year after price-sensitive passengers in the US showed restraint in recent months amid a worsening economic climate. Demand should 'tick up a bit' in the period, Bastian said in an interview with Bloomberg Television in New Delhi on Sunday. That's after Delta suffered weakness in bookings predominantly in the US market and among leisure travelers in its main cabin earlier this year, he said. 'There's no question in the short term, with what we've seen coming out of Washington and the challenges of the trade negotiations, it's choppy at the moment,' Bastian said. 'I don't think that's going to be long lasting. We are pushing through and getting to a place of some stability.' Bastian said that travel on the North Atlantic route is doing well, and while there's some weakness in the main coach cabin, yields in the front end of the aircraft remain strong. In March, Delta slashed its first-quarter profit guidance and reduced its outlook for revenue growth and operating margin, in a sharp reversal from the start of the year, when Bastian trumpeted a steady demand environment. The company is due to report earnings in early July. The aviation industry has been thrust into uncharted territory with the risk of tariffs, because airlines and manufacturers were long insulated from any levies given the global nature of the business. Delta has said that it doesn't want to absorb the cost of tariffs on aircraft that it's taking from Airbus SE, putting it on a possible collision course with the European manufacturer, which has also said it won't pay for the duties. 'We're very close partners with Airbus,' Bastian said. 'This time will pass, and there will be a new world order of some nature.' More stories like this are available on
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
IndiGo expands network with Air France-KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Delta deal
Agencies New Delhi India's largest airline IndiGo has entered an agreement with Air France-KLM, Virgin Atlantic and Delta to expand its long-haul services to North America, Europe and Britain, the airlines said on Sunday. IndiGo has an extensive domestic network in India, the world's third-largest air passenger market, and is expanding its international reach. The Reuters Tariff Watch newsletter is your daily guide to the latest global trade and tariff news. Sign up here. Separately IndiGo also said it would convert 30 out of 70 options for Airbus A350 jets into firm orders for new planes. Once the airline partnership is complete, IndiGo will be able to sell flights under its own name on those operated by its partners out of India, and onward travel from Amsterdam and Manchester, UK, on selected flights to Europe and North will start flying to Amsterdam and Manchester from July. Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic already code-share on IndiGo's domestic flights. The Delta partnership is new. US carrier Delta has not flown to India since the pandemic. CEO Ed Bastian told media at an airline summit in New Delhi that Delta will restart direct services from the United States to India over the next couple of years. 'There's not a more important market in aviation at the present time than in India,' Bastian said. Delta is planning nonstop flights between Atlanta and Delhi, subject to government approval, a joint statement said. IndiGo is hosting the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) annual meeting in New Delhi from Sunday. IndiGo is aiming to grow its fleet to 600 aircraft by 2030, from more than 400 currently, and has been leasing aircraft to tide it over aircraft delivery delays and expand internationally. It recently said it will lease six Boeing 787 wide-body jets from Norse Atlantic Airways by early next year. India's aviation regulator said last week it would only extend an existing leasing arrangement IndiGo has with Turkish Airlines to the end of August. The arrangement has been publicly criticised in India after Turkey came out in support of Pakistan during the recent conflict between the two South Asian neighbours.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
IndiGo, Delta, Air France-KLM, Virgin Atlantic announce partnership
IndiGo, Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic on Sunday (June 1, 2025) announced a partnership to enhance air connectivity from India to Europe as well as North America. "Linking dozens of cities in the U.S., Canada, Europe and India, the airlines aim to meet rising demand for international travel while setting new standards for connectivity and cooperation in global aviation," a release said. IndiGo, India's largest airline, is expanding its International network and is set to start flights to 10 overseas cities in the current fiscal ending March 2026. The partnership was jointly announced at a briefing in the national capital by IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian, Air France-KLM CEO Benjamin Smith and Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss. India is one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation markets. Meanwhile, under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) announced on Sunday, the efforts will be to create a framework for deeper collaboration between the carriers on a bilateral and multilateral basis. Besides, the airlines will look at commercial collaboration including network, loyalty, cargo and sales. They will also explore areas of non-commercial cooperation including aircraft maintenance, sustainability, training and ground handling, the release said. IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said it has embarked on an ambitious journey to become a global airline by 2030. The partnership not only expands our relationship with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic but also marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter with Delta Air Lines. Air France-KLM CEO Benjamin Smith said the airline is very glad to extend our existing partnership with IndiGo and to do so alongside partners Delta and Virgin Atlantic. "India is a strategic market for Air France-KLM, where we have a strong and historic presence soon to increase. We look forward to welcoming IndiGo customers on our flights and to play an active role in the country's connectivity," he added. "In our 25th year of flying to India, we're delighted to build on our Joint Venture with Delta and Air France-KLM, and our successful codeshare with IndiGo, by going further with this partnership," Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss said. IndiGo has been in partnerships with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic since 2022. At the briefing, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said the carrier will restart flights to India in the coming years. It plans to resume services to India with direct flights between Atlanta and Delhi, subject to government approvals.
News18
3 days ago
- Business
- News18
IndiGo Orders 30 A350s After Deals With Air France, Delta In Global Expansion Push
Last Updated: IndiGo on Sunday placed an order for 30 more wide-body Airbus A350 planes, taking the total number of such aircraft to 60. The airline has placed orders for around 1,000 aircraft. IndiGo on Sunday announced that it placed a firm order for another 30 wide-body A350 planes with Airbus, taking the total number of such aircraft to 60. This came after the airline entered an agreement with Air France-KLM, Virgin Atlantic and Delta to expand its long-haul services to North America, Europe and Britain. 'We are placing a firm order for 30 Airbus A350-900s," said Pieter Elbers, the CEO of IndiGo, a company founded in 2006 and already behind the largest contract by volume in the history of civil aviation – 500 Airbus single-aisle aircraft by 2023. The company had placed a firm order for 30 A350 aircraft in April, and there was an option to order 70 more such planes. IndiGo is aiming to expand its international network and is set to operate flights to 10 new overseas cities with leased Boeing 787 planes. The A350 planes, with ranges of up to 15,000 kilometres (9,300 miles), will allow it to further expand its network. IndiGo has placed orders for around 1,000 aircraft from the A320 family. 'This is yet another step in defining the airline's long-term plans of international expansion," said the company. IndiGo's Expansion Push Earlier today, IndiGo entered an agreement with Air France-KLM, Virgin Atlantic and Delta to expand its long-haul services to North America, Europe and Britain, the company announced. The partnership is expected to offer travellers broader access, smoother journeys, and a more consistent experience across continents. Once the airline partnership is complete, IndiGo will be able to sell flights under its own name on those operated by its partners out of India, and onward travel from Amsterdam and Manchester, UK, on selected flights to Europe and North America. Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic already code-share on IndiGo's domestic flights. The Delta partnership is notable, as the US carrier has not operated flights to India since the Covid-19 pandemic five years ago. Speaking at an airline summit in New Delhi, Delta CEO Ed Bastian announced that the airline plans to resume direct flights from the United States to India within the next couple of years. Delta is planning nonstop flights between Atlanta and Delhi, which would be subject to government approval, according to a joint statement. 'There's not a more important market in aviation at the present time than in India," Bastian said. Meanwhile, Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said 'the development of India's air connectivity in recent years has been nothing short of phenomenal". The growth of its economy has made India the world's fourth-largest market, he added. (with inputs from agencies) First Published: June 01, 2025, 19:16 IST
