Interglobe Aviation has doubled its order for wide-body Airbus A350-900 aircraft to 60 planes, as well as announced a code-sharing pact with three major international airlines, moves that are seen as key steps towards its ambition to become a global aviation player.
Shares of the airline are modestly higher by 0.25 percent on June 2.
Last year in April, the airline had decided to induct 30 widebody Airbus A350-900 aircraft in its fleet, with a purchase right for an additional 70 aircraft. On June 1, the airline has converted 30 of its purchase rights for 70 aircraft into a firm order. The original order’s deliveries are slated to begin from 2027.
The step will enable IndiGo to expand its long-haul international network and connect more Indian cities globally.
The airline embarked on a plan to step up on its long-haul operations in March by introducing six temporarily leased wide-body aircraft, the deliveries of which will be concluded by 2026. As part of its plans, the airline announced non-stop flights to Amsterdam and Manchester from July, which will be the airline's long-haul debut, with more flights to be added subsequently.
In terms of aircraft deliveries, during FY25, IndiGo added a total of 67 aircraft on a net basis. "Further, during the year 2024, we received deliveries of 58 aircraft from Airbus as part of our original orderbook. This represents around 7 percent of the total commercial aircraft deliveries by Airbus during the year," the airline had recently said.
The airline has been adding business class to its flights, in a gradual shift from its low-cost model as it acquires more widebody jets, in an attempt to service a rising number of travellers in the premium end of the segment.
Read More: IndiGo to set up second MRO facility spread over 31 acres in Bengaluru in partnership with BIAL
Earlier, on June 1, Interglobe Aviation signed a codeshare with Delta Airlines, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic Airways.
The agreement will boost connectivity between India, North America and Europe, once all necessary approvals are in place. The airline has a near 65 percent market share domestically, and is now looking to partner with foreign airline to increase connectivity of more Indian cities with the world, in an attempt to cater to the world’s third-biggest aviation market.
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