Ambitious to fly international big time, home-grown IndiGo has the wherewithal, the equipment and the expertise. But as Ameya Joshi points out, the foreign forays will not be as easy as IndiGo’s domestic moves. Its first flight to Istanbul and the codeshare with Turkish Airlines would not only be a test case for the carrier but will be closely watched by the competition.
Kingfisher was still puffing and trying to battle it out when IndiGo completed its mandatory five years before announcing its international routes in 2011. The airline, then with a reputation of not closing a route, had to drop some of its first international routes: Delhi-Singapore, Mumbai-Singapore, Delhi- Bangkok, and Mumbai-Bangkok.
IndiGo was up against challenges from the word “Go” for its international foray – compared to domestic, where its induction strategy was relatively well laid out. The first bottleneck that the airline got into was the terminal. The airline was working with Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) to convert a portion of Terminal 1D to international. While DIAL had started work on the conversion, the security agencies objected, and IndiGo had to shift its International operations to Terminal 3, leading to a division of staff and limitations on the rotation of aircraft. The initial euphoria around the international services died down with the airline deciding to pull out of the Mumbai-Singapore and the Delhi-Singapore market by March 2013, having operated two winters and one summer schedule. This was seemingly due to higher competition and costs than what the airline had projected. The airline instead continued operations to Singapore from Chennai and Bangkok from Kolkata.
Eight years is a long time. The market saw the demise of Kingfisher Airlines and a near-death for SpiceJet along with the recent suspension of Jet Airways. Many of the smaller operators perished as well while IndiGo tried going from strength to strength. The airline took an unfathomable lead in the domestic market, reaching over 40 percent market share and bulldozing the competition on every possible route.
As the airline matured and placed large orders for aircraft, international shores beckoned, and the focus is now shifting to foreign lands for the airline.
Mega aircraft orders
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 2019 من Cruising Heights.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 2019 من Cruising Heights.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
India's space economy set to soar
India's burgeoning space economy could see a substantial increase in its global share by 2040. At present, India's space sector contributes a modest $8 billion to the overall cake.
JettWings leads the way in UDAN 5.3
JettWings Airways has emerged as a frontrunner in the aviation industry, solidifying its position as a leading private operator under the UDAN RCS 5.3 scheme.
Sock drying to underwear adventures: Laundry tales at 30,000 feet
Picture this: you're settled into your first-class seat, ready for a smooth and luxurious flight with United Airlines. But as you glance around, you notice something that makes you do a double-take.
PLETHORA OF AIR TRAVEL ACTIVITY IN THE INDIAN SKIES
The Northern Summer schedule for 2024 took off on March 31, 2024, ushering in a rush of air travel activity. With DGCA's seal of approval on 24,275 weekly departures, the skies buzzed with an average of 3,467 flights daily. However, on the inaugural day, airlines only managed to execute 3,035 scheduled domestic flights, representing a modest 87.5 per cent of the approved schedule. Delving into the nuances of this aviation landscape, an exclusive analysis by aviation analytics company Cirium unveils fascinating insights into the longest and shortest flights crisscrossing the Indian skies.
Agnibaan SOrTeD rocket launch postponed again
Chennai-based space start-up Agnikul Cosmos called off the maiden launch of its 3D-printed, semi-cryogenic Agnibaan rocket about 129 seconds before lift-off citing communication in the onboard hardware.
Pushpak RLV-TD successfully lands autonomously
ISRO achieved another significant milestone in reusable launch vehicle (RLV) technology with the successful landing of Pushpak (RLV-TD), the winged vehicle, autonomously on the runway.
TIME FOR CREDIBLE ROTARY-WING CAPABILITIES
With tactical-level challenges looming in India’s neighbourhood, it is time for the Indian armed forces to rapidly brush up on rotorcraft capabilities. A Special Report
"PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES: A TROUBLED LEGACY IN NEED OF REVIVAL"
Pakistan International Airlines PIA), once renowned for its slogan Great People to Fly With,’ has a storied history of contributions to the aviation industry. despite its illustrious past, PIA has faced challenges in recent decades, witnessing a decline from its former glory. This downward trajectory has prompted concerns about the airline's sustainability and competitiveness in the modern aviation landscape. The Pakistan government is now preparing to privatise the
Qatar explores major widebody order with Boeing, Airbus
Qatar Airways is reportedly in preliminary discussions with both Boeing and Airbus regarding a potential order of up to 150 widebody jets to modernise and expand its fleet as it needs to tackle the issue of an ageing fleet for long-distance.
"Embraer achieves ETOPS-120 certification for E2 Series
Embraer recently achieved a significant milestone with the acquisition of 120-minute ETOPS (Extended-Twin Engine Operations Performance Standards) approval for its E190-E2 and E195-E2 aircraft.