Will exit Turkish aircraft lease in three months, IndiGo tells DGCA

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday said it had granted budget carrier IndiGo a three-month extension to operate two Boeing 777 aircraft taken on wet lease from Turkish Airlines, after the airline submitted an undertaking to terminate the lease within this extended period.

- DEEPAK PATEL

The lease period was coming to an end on May 31 and the Indian carrier had sought an extension of six months. The DGCA refused.

"However, in order to avoid passenger inconvenience due to immediate flight disruption, IndiGo has been granted a one-time last and final extension of three months up to August 31, 2025, for these damp leased aircraft, based on the undertaking from the airline that they will terminate the damp lease with Turkish Airlines within this extension period, and shall not seek any further extension for these operations," the regulator stated.

Under the wet lease terms, the aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance are all provided by the lessor—Turkish Airlines. The lessee—IndiGo—on the other hand, sells tickets and markets the service.