Latest news with #IndiGoStretch
India Gazette
3 days ago
- Business
- India Gazette
IndiGo to build maintenance, repair & operation infra at Bangalore in partnership with BIAL
New Delhi [India], May 30 (ANI): IndiGo and Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL) on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to build its own Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) the agreement, Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport will allocate around 31 acres of land to IndiGo for the development of MRO infrastructure to support the airline's expanding fleet.'Partnering with BIAL underlines our shared commitment to drive long-term growth of the aviation ecosystem in Bengaluru and cement its status as, of the best and world-class international hubs in see this collaboration as a pivotal step towards building a significant global presence for IndiGo, as well as for India,' said Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo. 'We have had a very successful, long-term relationship with IndiGo, and this collaboration further strengthens our association with the airline,' said Hari Marar, MD & CEO, Bangalore International Airport (BIAL). 'This is a strong validation of the growth potential of BLR Airport and the City of Bengaluru as a premier aviation hub. The partnership reinforces our commitment to developing world-class aviation infrastructure and enhancing BLR Airport's role as India's premier aerospace and MRO hub,' he the partnership will also assist each other in various areas, including network expansion, infrastructure development, and joint marketing initiatives. IndiGo anticipates that the airline will surpass 600 aircraft in its fleet by 2030. It has joined hands 'with Norse Atlantic Airways for the dry lease of six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, deliveries of which will be completed by early 2026, anticipating the arrival of the A350 in 2027.'IndiGo has earlier announced the commencement of long-haul operations with non-stop, direct flights connecting Mumbai with Manchester and Amsterdam starting July 2025. Furthermore, the release also said that, 'as IndiGo's fleet of damp-leased B787S expands later this year, the airline is planning to expand its long-haul network to London and Copenhagen.'There are plans by the airline to add four new domestic destinations to its network, which will increase connectivity from 91 to 95 destinations. IndiGo is all set to become the first airline to start operations at the Navi Mumbai International Airport and the Noida International Airport in a press briefing, the CEO of Indigo highlighted that Indigo's loyalty program has already signed up 3 million members in just six months.'The financial year 2025 has been a pivotal year in our journey as we took significant steps in our evolution into a truly global airline. This includes the introduction of IndiGoStretch, our tailor-made business offering, and BlueChip, our loyalty program, besides sizeable network expansion in the domestic as well as international market,' Pieter Elbers said. (ANI)
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
IndiGo, BIAL sign MoU for 31-acre MRO hub at Kempegowda International Airport
IndiGo has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL) to establish a dedicated Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) facility at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Under the agreement, BIAL will allocate approximately 31 acres of land to IndiGo for the development of MRO infrastructure, which will support the airline's growing fleet, ANI reported. 'Partnering with BIAL underlines our shared commitment to drive long-term growth of the aviation ecosystem in Bengaluru and cement its status as one of the best and world-class international hubs in India,' said Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo. 'We see this collaboration as a pivotal step towards building a significant global presence for IndiGo, as well as for India.' Hari Marar, MD & CEO of BIAL, welcomed the partnership, saying: 'We have had a very successful, long-term relationship with IndiGo, and this collaboration further strengthens our association with the airline. This is a strong validation of the growth potential of BLR Airport and the City of Bengaluru as a premier aviation hub.' He added that the initiative reinforces BIAL's commitment to developing world-class aviation infrastructure and positioning Bengaluru as a leading aerospace and MRO hub in India. In addition to the MRO facility, IndiGo and BIAL will explore collaboration in areas such as network expansion, infrastructure development, and joint marketing initiatives. The airline, which is preparing for rapid fleet growth, expects to have over 600 aircraft by 2030. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now IndiGo has also partnered with Norse Atlantic Airways for the dry lease of six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, with deliveries scheduled to complete by early 2026, ahead of the planned arrival of Airbus A350s in 2027. IndiGo recently announced the launch of long-haul operations with non-stop flights from Mumbai to Manchester and Amsterdam starting July 2025. The airline also plans to expand its long-haul network to London and Copenhagen as its fleet of damp-leased B787s grows later this year. Domestically, the airline will add four new destinations, expanding its network from 91 to 95 locations. IndiGo is also set to become the first carrier to operate from the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport and Noida International Airport in Jewar. At a press briefing, Elbers noted that the airline's loyalty program, BlueChip, has already enrolled three million members within six months of its launch. 'The financial year 2025 has been a pivotal year in our journey as we took significant steps in our evolution into a truly global airline,' Elbers said. 'This includes the introduction of IndiGoStretch, our tailor-made business offering, and BlueChip, our loyalty program, besides sizeable network expansion in the domestic as well as international market.'
Mint
3 days ago
- Business
- Mint
United Airlines CEO says low-cost model is dead and he may be right
United Airlines and JetBlue announced an agreement on May 29 to link loyalty programs. The broader understanding helps United return to New York one more time, while it mainly focuses on customer loyalty programs, cross-earning and sharing benefits. Speaking to WSJ, Scott Kirby, the CEO of United Airlines, called the low-cost model 'dead', adding that its aim was to 'screw the customer'. Interestingly, JetBlue had started as a low-cost carrier (LCC), though it quickly added amenities like live inflight TV and subsequently a business class cabin. Scott Kirby's remarks may resonate closer home in India, with IndiGo's CEO Pieter Elbers saying 'We have left the station of a typical LCC, if there is such a thing' last year. IndiGo is the largest carrier in India by both fleet and market share. As Indian LCCs scaled the heights of market share, passengers often complained of either no fare difference or very limited fare differential between LCCs and Full-Service Carriers (FSC) in India. IndiGo, like many of its peers in India, started as a pure-play low-cost carrier. When Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways were struggling in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, it went to town explaining the benefits of a single fleet type, its positive impact on costs and operations. The first change for IndiGo was adding a row of seats in the A320neo to make it 186 seats instead of the standard 180 it had with the A320ceo. In 2017, IndiGo added a new fleet type to its fleet with the induction of the ATR 72-600 turboprop aircraft. The LCC station was left in the true sense back then. Today, the IndiGo fleet comprises a multitude of aircraft configurations within its over 400 aircraft, apart from the damp-leased ones the airline operates. If various aircraft types was not enough, IndiGo added a Business class equivalent cabin, calling it IndiGoStretch, which started operations in November last year. The airline also launched a frequent-flyer programme. Go FIRST was possibly the last true LCC that operated in Indian skies, having a single fleet type. Akasa Air has taken that place eventually, though it has different configurations for planes and will continue to have a mix of MAX 8 and MAX 8-200 in its fleet. Akasa Air has not been able to grow as per its initial announcements after indicating planes in quick succession in its first year of operations. Air India Express, which had a fleet of 26 B737s at the time of privatisation, is now more times its size but with a mix of A320ceo, A320neo, A321neo, B737NG and 737 MAX 8. SpiceJet, on the other hand, joined the multi-fleet bandwagon much earlier than IndiGo. However, its focus has been on sustenance amid multiple financial headwinds rather than growth. India today has only one FSC in the form of Air India. As it shifts to a three-class configuration, akin to Vistara which merged with Air India, the economy class is competing with the LCCs with features like 'pay for seat selection', shorting up ancillary revenues and the difference being only in the meals being served complimentary on the FSC. While the LCCs moved up the pedestal, the FSCs climbed down in a double whammy for the customers. This often points up to the question of how FSCs are different in India and the answer to that lies only in the cabins upfront with Premium Economy now offering the service levels and options which were common to Economy class two decades ago and Business class focusing on more and more frills, especially with modern seats. In essence, is Economy then a downgrade in an FSC? All indicators point to a resounding yes and this helps the traditional FSC compete with LCCs, with the bulk of the passengers comprising economy class. Pre-pandemic, when there existed three FSCs in India — Jet Airways, TATA-SIA-owned Vistara and government-owned Air India — the LCCs led by IndiGo were pushing the envelope up with every month and the LCC concentration in the Indian domestic market was over 80 per cent at its peak. On the other side of the pandemic, there is no Vistara or Jet Airways and IndiGo with a 60 per cent-plus market share is a different airline than what it was while SpiceJet has shrunk. The Indian market effectively is undergoing a transition like never before and while the first part of Scott Kirby's statement may be right, the second part definitely does not fit well in Indian context. In fact, the Indian LCCs helped the average Indian consumer fly and more than doubled the market with each passing decade. The rate of growth for Kingfisher Airlines, Jet Airways, Vistara or Air India was much slower than what the trioka of SpiceJet, IndiGo and Go Air achieved in its early years. If anything, the impact was felt on FSCs and not consumers.
Business Mayor
21-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Budget airline launches first UK flights to one of the world's busiest cities
LOW-COST carrier IndiGo has launched its first flight from the UK and it isn't from London. The Indian airline has confirmed that the new route will operate from Manchester, flying to Mumbai three times a week. 3 IndiGo is launching its first UK flight this summer Credit: Alamy Launching from July 1, tickets are already on sale. It will be the first flight route for IndiGo from the UK, having previously revealed plans to launch from Europe. IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said: 'The new route will provide seamless connection to a vast majority of 90+ Indian destinations on IndiGo's domestic network benefiting customers travelling from Manchester to Mumbai. 'This service by IndiGo will thereby further enhance connectivity between India and the UK, fostering stronger economic, educational, and cultural ties. 'Beyond supporting the growing Indian diaspora in the region, these direct flights are expected to boost two-way tourism, ease travel for students, professionals and leisure travellers , and unlock new avenues for bilateral trade and collaboration between the two countries.' Currently, Brits can fly from the UK to Mumbai with both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, as well as flag carrier Air India . The cheapest route is from London Heathrow with Air India, costing £457 return and taking just under nine hours. The new IndiGo flights are a similar price, being £447 return when they launch in July. Passengers will be served hot meals in both economy and the IndiGo Stretch cabin, made for business travellers . Another route from Amsterdam to Mumbai will also later be launched by IndiGo. 3 The Taj Mahal Palace is one of the main attractions Credit: Alamy Mumbai is one of the busiest cities in the world, with around 19million people living there. This makes it one of the world's 53 megacities, which are ones with more than 10million inhabitants (which also includes London). Mumbai is also the home of Bollywood movies, with around 200 produced a year. One of the main attractions in the city is the beautiful Taj Mahal Palace, not to be confused with the Taj Mahal attraction in Agra. And earlier this year, Mumbai made Time Out's top 20 food destinations in the world. Restaurants such as Masque have featured on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list while Papa's is on TIME's World's Greatest Places for 2025. It even snuck into 49th place on Time Out's World's Best Cities 2025. In the mean time, Air India is increasing its routes from the UK to Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad and Delhi. And here is what Rylan Clark and Rob Rinder got up to in India for their BBC series last year,
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Budget airline launches first UK flights to one of the world's busiest cities
And the other new routes launching from the UK TAKING OFF Budget airline launches first UK flights to one of the world's busiest cities Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LOW-COST carrier IndiGo has launched its first flight from the UK and it isn't from London. The Indian airline has confirmed that the new route will operate from Manchester, flying to Mumbai three times a week. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 IndiGo is launching its first UK flight this summer Credit: Alamy Launching from July 1, tickets are already on sale. It will be the first flight route for IndiGo from the UK, having previously revealed plans to launch from Europe. IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said: 'The new route will provide seamless connection to a vast majority of 90+ Indian destinations on IndiGo's domestic network benefiting customers travelling from Manchester to Mumbai. 'This service by IndiGo will thereby further enhance connectivity between India and the UK, fostering stronger economic, educational, and cultural ties. "Beyond supporting the growing Indian diaspora in the region, these direct flights are expected to boost two-way tourism, ease travel for students, professionals and leisure travellers, and unlock new avenues for bilateral trade and collaboration between the two countries.' Currently, Brits can fly from the UK to Mumbai with both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, as well as flag carrier Air India. The cheapest route is from London Heathrow with Air India, costing £457 return and taking just under nine hours. The new IndiGo flights are a similar price, being £447 return when they launch in July. Passengers will be served hot meals in both economy and the IndiGo Stretch cabin, made for business travellers. Another route from Amsterdam to Mumbai will also later be launched by IndiGo. A trip through Dehli 3 The Taj Mahal Palace is one of the main attractions Credit: Alamy Mumbai is one of the busiest cities in the world, with around 19million people living there. This makes it one of the world's 53 megacities, which are ones with more than 10million inhabitants (which also includes London). Mumbai is also the home of Bollywood movies, with around 200 produced a year. One of the main attractions in the city is the beautiful Taj Mahal Palace, not to be confused with the Taj Mahal attraction in Agra. And earlier this year, Mumbai made Time Out's top 20 food destinations in the world. Restaurants such as Masque have featured on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list while Papa's is on TIME's World's Greatest Places for 2025. It even snuck into 49th place on Time Out's World's Best Cities 2025. In the mean time, Air India is increasing its routes from the UK to Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad and Delhi. And here is what Rylan Clark and Rob Rinder got up to in India for their BBC series last year,
