IndiGo to end wide-body services from October 25
Dhaka: India's largest carrier, IndiGo, announced it will discontinue wide-body operations from October 25 and wind down its damp lease deal with Norse Atlantic Airways by October 31, citing a difficult operating environment amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
The airline said its Mumbai-Amsterdam flights will shift to the Airbus A321XLR starting October 25, while the London Heathrow service will be temporarily suspended until its Airbus A350-900s arrive.
IndiGo is expected to receive its first A350-900 around mid-2027, according to sources. The carrier currently operates three A321XLRs, with more units due for delivery later this year.
The airline said it will work with affected passengers to arrange alternate travel and refunds where applicable to ensure a smooth transition.
IndiGo had signed a damp lease agreement with Norse Atlantic Airways in early 2025 for six Boeing 787-9 aircraft, launching limited long-haul flights while it awaited delivery of its A350 fleet. This allowed IndiGo to begin UK and Europe services while building wide-body operational capability.
Separately, it had also leased two Boeing 777-300ERs from Turkish Airlines for its Mumbai-Istanbul route, though that service was dropped a few months ago.
IndiGo said the long-haul program had helped it build expertise in network planning, customer experience, crew operations, maintenance, airport handling, revenue management, and international partnerships.
However, the airline noted that the operating landscape has shifted considerably since the program began. Persistent geopolitical tensions have driven up operating costs and introduced uncertainties that undermined the case for continuing interim wide-body flights.
IndiGo added that lessons from the damp lease arrangement have bolstered its readiness for long-haul operations and will support the next phase of its international expansion once the A350-900 fleet begins arriving.
Until then, the airline said it will keep focusing on its existing international network while it prepares for its own wide-body rollout.
