Latest news with #Elbers
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
In bid to go global, IndiGo orders 30 more Airbus planes
Low-cost carrier IndiGo on Sunday said it has confirmed an order for 30 additional Airbus A350 wide-body aircraft, doubling its existing order to a total 60 A350s, along with options for 40 more. 'We have signed the MoU with Airbus for confirming the option for 30 A350s. Their delivery starts in 2027,' IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers at the IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday said. Elbers said that the delivery of the original 30 aircraft, ordered last year, will begin in 2027 and continue into the early 2030s. The additional 30 confirmed aircraft will start arriving after the initial batch and will be delivered into the latter part of the next decade. IndiGo had originally placed the firm order for 30 Airbus A350s in May 2023, with an option for 70 more aircraft at the time. In recent years, the airline ventured into long-haul international operations using wet-leased Boeing 777s from Turkish Airlines- a deal that is now set to conclude within the next three months. To continue offering long-haul services, IndiGo will soon start flying wet-leased Boeing 787s from Norse Atlantic Airways to destinations such as Manchester and Amsterdam. Wet lease is an arrangement that includes renting an aircraft along with a crew, maintenance, and insurance. To enhance connectivity beyond its own network, IndiGo is expanding strategic collaborations. The airline announced a new partnership with Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM, and Virgin Atlantic, aiming to improve access between India, Europe, and North America. 'IndiGo has embarked on an ambitious journey to become a global airline by 2030. This partnership (with Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic) represents a milestone to pursue commercial synergies, operational excellence and innovation…. We are particularly excited to start our long-haul expansion from this summer and connect with our partners' networks to provide greater access to Europe and North America. This strategic partnership enables a combined customer proposition in the form of comprehensive intercontinental connectivity, seamless experience and great loyalty value,' the CEO said. Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian added, 'This agreement is another example of our commitment to making travel more connected, more inclusive and more accessible. Combining our strengths with those of IndiGo, Air France-KLM, and Virgin Atlantic, will enable us to offer unparalleled connectivity and convenience, ensuring that our customers enjoy the highest standards of service and reliability across the globe. We look forward to restarting Delta's direct service from the US to India in the near future.' Air France-KLM Group CEO Benjamin Smith echoed the enthusiasm and said 'We are very glad to extend our existing partnership with IndiGo and to do so alongside our 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.' Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss commented: '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. As IndiGo starts long haul operations, we'll connect four of the world's largest economies, enhancing the travel experience for our guests, from greater connectivity and optimised flight times to loyalty benefits.'
India.com
14 hours ago
- Business
- India.com
IndiGo Places Order For Another 30 Wide-Body A350 Aircraft With Airbus
New Delhi: Low-cost airline IndiGo on Sunday announced an MoU with Airbus to enlarge its wide-body aircraft order by converting 30 aircraft of its purchase rights for 70 aircraft into a firm order. This is yet another step in defining the airline's long-term plans for international expansion. "We are placing a firm order for 30 Airbus A350-900s," said Pieter Elbers, the CEO of IndiGo. At a briefing in the national capital, Elbers said that out of the option for 70 planes, it is now placing a firm order of 30 aircraft. Last year, IndiGo took the strategic decision to induct widebody aircraft in its fleet by placing a firm order for 30 A350-900 aircraft, with purchase rights for an additional 70 aircraft. The original order's deliveries are expected to start in 2027. "We will continue to add one aircraft a week to double by the end of the decade," said the IndiGo CEO. This strategic move will enable IndiGo to spread its wings further and expand its long-haul international network, connecting Indian metros to different parts of the world. 'With this, it will create more travel options for its customers to new international destinations and also enable more flights to the hubs of its partner airlines,' the airline said in a statement. IndiGo's Airbus A350-900 aircraft will be powered by Rolls Royce's Trent XWB engine. In March 2025, IndiGo began preparing for its long-haul operations with the introduction of six temporarily leased wide-body aircraft, deliveries of which will be concluded by 2026. With its fleet of more than 400 aircraft, the airline operates around more than 2,200 daily flights.
Indian Express
15 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
IndiGo tops up its long-haul international ambitions by doubling Airbus A350 order size to 60 aircraft
India's largest airline IndiGo on Sunday announced that it will be placing a firm order for another 30 wide-body Airbus A350-900 aircraft, taking its total order size to 60 of these long-range jets to fuel its international ambitions. In April last year, IndiGo had announced a firm order for 30 A350-900 aircraft, along with purchase options for another 70 planes of the A350 family. On Sunday, the airline and European aerospace major Airbus inked an agreement to convert 30 of those options into firm orders. Purchase options allow airlines to buy additional aircraft in the future at a pre-agreed price point and delivery date, providing flexibility to carriers to adjust their fleet development based on factors like market conditions and demand. After dominating the Indian skies with a domestic market share of over 60 per cent, IndiGo has been focusing on 'internationalization', which entails a rapid expansion of its international network—including foraying into the long-haul segment—given the robust overseas travel demand from India. Over the past two to three years, IndiGo has expanded its international network by adding destinations in regions including Central Asia and the Caucasus, Southeast Asia, and Africa using its narrow-body fleet. IndiGo expects the delivery of initially ordered A350 aircraft to start in 2027 and go on for a few years. The next 30 will start coming in after that, taking the deliveries well into the next decade, the airline's CEO Pieter Elbers said. 'IndiGo's Airbus A350-900 aircraft will be powered by Rolls Royce's Trent XWB engine. The mission capability of this aircraft, coupled with the efficiency of the Trent XWB engine, will offer IndiGo unprecedented optionality and reach as it embarks on the next stage of its wonderful journey of addressing the rapidly evolving needs of the Indian market and our nation,' IndiGo said in a release. The airline did not provide the financial details of the order. The list price of an A350-900 is around $310 million, per industry sources. However, it is worth noting that aircraft manufacturers usually offer significant discounts on large orders. The A350-900 can carry a maximum of 440 passengers in a high-density configuration, and has a range of close to 16,000 km, which means that the aircraft can cover a vast majority of geographies from India. According to Elbers, IndiGo with its dominant position in India's large and growing domestic aviation market is in a position to naturally evolve into a global aviation player and contribute in making India a global aviation hub with multiple options for international-to-domestic and international-to-international connections. Turning India into a major aviation hub is also part of the government's civil aviation vision. IndiGo sees significant potential in the international segment, given that Indian airlines account for 45 per cent of India's international air passenger traffic, while overseas carriers account for around 55 per cent. In the case of India-Europe passenger traffic, overseas carriers have an even higher share of around 70 per cent. Prior to inducting the A350s, as part of its internationalisation strategy, IndiGo plans to induct extra-long-range narrow-body Airbus A321 XLR aircraft from this financial year. Although the XLRs are single-aisle planes, their extended range enables them to operate on medium-haul international routes that IndiGo is currently not able to service with its current fleet. As for long-haul routes, the airline has decided to enter the long-haul market using six damp-leased Boeing 787 wide-body jets from Norse Atlantic. IndiGo is slated to make its long-haul debut using the damp-leased aircraft from early July with Manchester and Amsterdam. Currently, Air India is the only Indian airline that operates long-haul international flights. IndiGo's move to have a wide-body fleet of its own marked a significant departure from the classic and proven budget airline model that focusses on single-type narrow-body fleet and domestic and short-haul international routes. The low-cost long-haul model, on the other hand, has seen far more failures than successes globally. IndiGo currently operates a fleet of narrow-body jet and turboprop aircraft, except for two wide-body Boeing 777 planes on lease from Turkish Airlines specifically for flights between India and Turkey. Over the past few years, IndiGo has been pushing its international network expansion to the extent it can with its narrow-body fleet. But instead of entering high-competition and busy routes, the airline focussed on identifying under-served routes and those with latent demand, while also stimulating demand on certain others. IndiGo is already the largest customer for Airbus with over 350 Airbus A320 family aircraft in its fleet of 400-plus planes. It also has an outstanding order book of over 900 A320 family planes with deliveries planned well into the next decade.
United News of India
16 hours ago
- Business
- United News of India
IndiGo won't sever ties with Turkish Airlines unless the Indian regulatory system orders: CEO
New Delhi, May 30 (UNI) IndiGo on Friday said it will not end its leasing arrangement with Turkish Airlines as of now but will take necessary steps if it receives any such directive under the Indian regulatory system. IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers said this at a press conference here to share information about the company's annual results. IndiGo uses Boeing 777s and 787s leased from Turkish carriers for long-haul international routes. He was responding to a question on severing ties with Turkish companies in several areas in view of Turkey's strong support for Pakistan during Operation Sindoor after the Pahalgam terror attack. IndiGo also has a leasing agreement with Turkish Airlines, is IndiGo also thinking of taking such a step? In response to this question, Elbers said that we have an air service agreement with Turkish Airlines. We work in terms of the regulatory framework. If there is a change in the regulatory framework, we will take necessary steps. The second is our large customer base who have booked on flights operated by 777 aircraft leased from Turkish Airlines. If there is a directive to change the regulatory system, we will necessarily think about possible steps. Wet-leased planes (jets operated by another airline but planes flying under the IndiGo brand) are being used by IndiGo as the airline is venturing into long-haul operations. The upcoming routes from Mumbai to Manchester and Amsterdam starting in July will be operated by Boeing 787-9 aircraft under this arrangement. The leasing agreement with Turkish Airlines is crucial to IndiGo's strategy to rapidly connect its long-haul fleet to international destinations without waiting for it. Currently serving more than 90 domestic and 40 international destinations, the airline aims to reach 50 international cities by the end of the year. The CEO gave a detailed presentation on IndiGo's 18-year journey and said the airline plans to add direct flights to 10 new international destinations in the current financial year, including major cities like London, Athens, Amsterdam and Manchester. In addition to these routes, flights to four Central Asian destinations and South-East Asian cities such as Siem Reap are included. On the domestic front, IndiGo is planning to increase connectivity by connecting four airports in the country: Hindon, Adampur, Navi Mumbai and Jewar. IndiGo, India's largest airline by market share, operates more than 2,300 daily flights with a fleet of more than 430 aircraft. Its 2024-25 expansion is supported by India's growing air travel demand and improving airport infrastructure. Elbers said, "The Indian aviation sector is at a critical juncture. We are excited to lead the next phase of growth, the strategy for which will be balanced with quick decisions, scale and regulatory compliance." UNI XC GNK RN
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Business Standard
16 hours ago
- Business
- Business Standard
IndiGo orders 30 more Airbus A350 aircraft for long-haul expansion
IndiGo on Sunday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus to order 30 additional A350-900 widebody aircraft, aiming to expand its long-haul network over the next decade. According to aviation industry sources, the order is estimated to be worth around $5 billion. In April last year, the airline had ordered 30 A350-900 widebody planes from Airbus. The April 2024 order was the very first time that India's largest carrier had placed an order for wide body planes. During the April 2024 order, it was revealed that IndiGo had the option to increase the wide body plane order to 100 planes. "IndiGo had the option to order 70 more A350 planes. We are exercising a part of that option and ordering 30 more A350 planes. This takes our total wide body order to 60 planes," IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said after signing the MoU with Benoit de Saint-Exupéry, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), Airbus at the annual general meeting of International Air Transport Association (IATA). "IndiGo has 1,370 planes on order with us. This new order takes the total order book to 1, are delighted to be part of assisting IndiGo to expand its long haul travel around the world using these A350s and A321XLR. We are happy to support IndiGo during the next 2-3 decades of its expansion,' Beniot said during the conference. Airbus will start delivering A350-900 planes to IndiGo between 2027 and earlier part of the next decade. The next batch of 30 A350-900 planes will be delivered from the earlier part of next decade to the second half of next decade, Elbers noted. Widebody aircraft have larger fuel tanks and engines compared to narrow-body aircraft, enabling them to travel longer distances. The A350-900 aircraft has a range of about 15,000 kilometers. This capability means that IndiGo will be able to operate non-stop flights on long-haul and ultra long-haul routes such as India-US, India-Australia, and India-Europe. This also positions IndiGo to directly compete with Air India and other foreign carriers such as Emirates and Qatar Airways on these lucrative routes. IndiGo currently has about 430 planes. Only three of them are widebody planes -- two B777 leased from Turkish Airlines and one B787 leased from Norse Atlantic. The two B777 planes will be returned to Turkish Airlines within the next three months. The diplomatic tensions between India and Turkey have recently risen due to the latter's diplomatic and military support after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. IndiGo has recently changed its business model. The airline last year ordered wide body planes for the first time. Last year, the airline also started business class on its flights. By the end of this year, the airline will have 45 planes with business class on them. The airline also started a frequent flyer program -- something which only full service carriers have -- last year. Elbers had on Friday announced that in 2025-26, the airline will start international flights to 10 new destinations including Manchester, Amsterdam and London using its recently-leased B787 wide body planes and 321XLR, which are expected to join its fleet during the latter part of the financial year. Currently, IndiGo flies to 40 international cities. To meet the growing demand in the country's air travel market, Indian carriers have made several significant aircraft orders since 2023. In February 2023, the Tata-run Air India Group placed an order for 470 planes: 250 with Airbus and 220 with American planemaker Boeing. In June 2023, IndiGo made the world's largest aircraft order by signing a deal for 500 A320neo family planes from Airbus. In January 2024, the new airline Akasa Air placed an order for 150 B737 Max aircraft with Boeing. In April 2024, IndiGo ordered 30 A350 planes from Airbus. In December 2024, Air India ordered 10 A350 planes and 90 A320 family planes from Airbus.
