IndiGo bets on overseas flights

By 2030, the airline plans to double in size and capacity for which it wants to use the A350 widebody aircraft

- Daanish Anand

IndiGo, India's largest airline by market share and fleet size, sees the next phase of growth coming in from international operations, according to its top executive. "A few years ago, our share of international (in terms of available seat kilometres) was a little over 20%. Within a time span of less than three years, our international percentage last quarter was 28%. As India evolves, internationalization will continue," chief executive officer Pieter Elbers said in an interview with Mint. "For that matter we had already purchased the Airbus XLR, which should come at the end of 2025; we have purchased the Airbus A350 which would come in in 2027."

Before the induction of A350 wide-body aircraft, the airline is currently "investigating" the potential induction of some widebody aircraft which will be a temporary solution. "By definition it would be a temporary solution, it's not going to be a hundred percent the exact same IndiGo product, but I think we will be able to make it as close as possible to the real IndiGo product," Elbers said.