IndiGo adds 3 wide-body jets in 2025, eyes Europe expansion.
To support its goal of offering direct flights to Europe, IndiGo will acquire at least three additional wide-body aircraft on a damp lease from Norse Atlantic Airways. India’s largest airline intends to commence direct flights to Europe during the upcoming summer, utilizing its already acquired Boeing 787-9 wide-body aircraft
To support its goal of offering direct flights to Europe, IndiGo will acquire at least three additional wide-body aircraft on a damp lease from Norse Atlantic Airways. The largest airline in India intends to launch direct flights to Europe during the upcoming summer, utilizing the one Boeing 787-9 wide-body aircraft it has already brought on a damp lease from Norse Atlantic. The other three leased Boeing 787-9 aircraft are scheduled to arrive in India during the latter half of this year.
In its “internationalization strategy”, IndiGo plans to incorporate extra-long-range narrow-body Airbus A321 XLR aircraft and wide-body Airbus A350 planes for medium- and long-haul international flights. Although IndiGo will begin receiving A321 XLRs in 2025-26 and A350s in 2027, the airline aims to accelerate its international expansion without waiting for these aircraft. As a result, it is leasing Boeing 787-9 aircraft from Norse Atlantic and is seeking additional wide-body planes on damp lease.
“We are pleased to announce the extension of our partnership with Norse Atlantic Airways for the damp lease of three additional Boeing 787-9 aircraft. This will assist us in making strategic advances and establishing the brand within the European market. IndiGo’s Chief Executive Officer, Pieter Elbers, stated that the airline is making steady progress toward its vision of becoming a global player by 2030, with a strong foundation in India and driven by ongoing expansion, as it implements its broader strategy to strengthen and extend its international network. However, he did not specify the European destinations the airline plans to launch this year.
Having established dominance in the Indian aviation sector with a market share exceeding 60%, IndiGo has been actively working on its internationalization strategy, which involves rapidly expanding its international network—including entering the long-haul segment—in response to the strong demand for overseas travel from India. In the last two to three years, IndiGo has broadened its international network by incorporating destinations in Central Asia and the Caucasus, Southeast Asia, and Africa with its narrow-body fleet. Europe, where Air India is the sole Indian carrier operating, was anticipated to be IndiGo’s next frontier.
The airline’s decision to possess a wide-body fleet represented a major shift away from the traditional and reliable budget airline model, which concentrates on single-type narrow-body fleets and domestic as well as short-haul international routes. In contrast, the low-cost long-haul model has experienced a much higher number of failures compared to successes worldwide. IndiGo operates a fleet of narrow-body jets and turboprop aircraft, except two wide-body Boeing 777 planes leased from Turkish Airlines for flights between India and Turkey.
“The Agreement starts with a six-month term, which can be extended to a maximum of 18 months pending regulatory approvals. Both Parties continue to be dedicated to investigating opportunities for further extending this period, contingent upon regulatory approvals. IndiGo stated that it and Norse will keep looking for opportunities to contract more aircraft and deepen their collaboration, referring to their damp lease arrangement with Norse Atlantic.
