IndiGo Airlines Big Planes and Big Plans for Long Haul Market

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GURUGRAM- IndiGo (6E), India’s low-cost airline, is aggressively expanding its international footprint with planned services to Western European destinations including Amsterdam (AMS) and Manchester (MAN) starting July 2025, marking a significant shift in the carrier’s strategic direction.

The IndiGo airline’s CEO Pieter Elbers sees tremendous potential in addressing the long-haul market from India, which has historically been dominated by non-Indian carriers, as the company prepares to leverage its growing fleet and strategic partnerships.

Photo: Siddh Dhuri | MumbaiPlanes

IndiGo Strategy for Long Haul Expansion

IndiGo’s ambitious expansion into Western Europe represents a pivotal moment for India’s aviation landscape, CAPA reports.

With over 400 aircraft currently in its fleet and more than 900 planes on order, IndiGo is positioning itself to capture a larger share of the underserved Europe-India market.

The IndiGo airlines recently secured a wet lease contract with Norse Atlantic Airways for Boeing 787-9 aircraft, potentially extending to six planes, accelerating its long haul expansion plans ahead of the delivery of its own 30 Airbus A350-900s starting in 2027.

The low-cost carrier currently operates only two widebody aircraft—Boeing 777-300ERs on damp lease from Turkish Airlines (TK) serving Delhi (DEL) and Mumbai (BOM) to Istanbul (IST) routes.

IndiGo’s European presence has been limited to Eastern European destinations including Baku (Azerbaijan), Tbilisi (Georgia), and Istanbul (Türkiye).

The new Western European routes will launch with three weekly services to both Amsterdam and Manchester starting July 2025, subject to regulatory approval.

Photo: Boeing

Market Potential and Competition

IndiGo’s entry into the Amsterdam market will face established competition from full-service carriers.

Both Air India (AI) and KLM (KL) currently operate twice daily flights between Amsterdam and Delhi, while KLM maintains twice daily service between Amsterdam and Mumbai alongside weekly services from China Airlines (CI) and Cathay Pacific (CX).

However, IndiGo benefits from a codeshare agreement with KLM, potentially strengthening its competitive position.

The Manchester route presents a unique opportunity, as IndiGo will offer the only direct connection from India to northern UK, serving a region with approximately 500,000 people of Indian heritage living within a two-hour radius of Manchester Airport.

This route revives a service not seen since Jet Airways briefly operated between November 2018 and March 2019.

Photo: AeroConcepts

Europe-India Aviation Market

The Europe-India aviation market shows robust growth following the COVID-19 pandemic recovery. Seat capacity reached a new record high in January 2025, exceeding previous peaks by 10%.

Annual seat capacity grew 18% year on year in 2024 to a record 11.5 million seats which was 17% higher than the previous peak in 2018.

This growth trend continues in 2025, with first-half projections showing a 13% year on year increase.

Despite this impressive growth, the market remains significantly underdeveloped compared to other major long haul routes.

With approximately 229,000 weekly seats scheduled for summer 2025, the Europe-India corridor represents only 53% of the Europe-China capacity, despite both countries having similar population sizes around 1.4 billion.

Currently, 16 airlines operate between Europe and India, down from 18 in 2024. Air India leads with a 30.2% seat share, followed by Lufthansa (LH) (14.3%) and British Airways (BA) (12.4%). IndiGo ranks fourth with an 8.8% share, reflecting its growing presence in international travel.

Photo: Utkarsh Thakkar (Vimanspotter)

IndiGo’s Competitive Strategy

IndiGo’s expansion strategy emphasizes cost leadership in India’s highly competitive and price-sensitive market.

CEO Pieter Elbers has consistently highlighted the importance of maintaining cost advantages while expanding the airline’s network.

The carrier’s massive order book, which Elbers describes as an “incredible asset,” provides the foundation for sustainable long-term growth.

The introduction of A321XLRs in 2024 will enable more long-range narrow-body flights, while the A350s, arriving in 2027, will solidify its position in the full-service long haul segment.

As the only low-cost carrier operating between India and Western Europe, IndiGo is positioned to potentially stimulate significant new demand in this underserved market.

As India’s aviation market continues to grow, IndiGo’s strategic push into long haul travel positions it as a key player in shaping the country’s global air connectivity.

With cost efficiency, fleet expansion, and targeted routes, IndiGo is set to challenge long established carriers on international routes.

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IndiGo Airlines Secures London Gatwick and Manchester Slots for Summer 2025

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