IndiGo nears decision on widebody jets

- A Monitor Desk Report Date: 22 March, 2024
IndiGo nears decision on widebody jets

Haryana: IndiGo is exploring the purchase of widebody aircraft, according to people familiar with the matter, a move that would give Asia’s biggest budget carrier a greater international radius and intensify competition with Air India Ltd.

The airline is still considering several options, with an order for about 30 Airbus SE A350s emerging as the most likely choice, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information isn’t public. A decision could be announced in the next few weeks, the people said, cautioning that IndiGo could still change its mind about timing and the number of planes.

IndiGo has repeatedly toyed with the idea of introducing long-haul services to tap the growing pool of affluent Indians flying further afield to places such as the UK and Europe. The low-cost carrier currently operates two Boeing Co. 777s leased from Turkish Airlines to Istanbul and has otherwise built its fleet around single-aisle jets made up almost entirely of Airbus planes.

The airline is already one of Airbus’s largest customers after placing a record-breaking order for 500 A320neo family aircraft last summer. IndiGo now has a backlog of around 1,000 aircraft.

-B

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