IndiGo Increases Boeing 777 Flying

IndiGo has received formal approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in India, allowing it to continue its partnership with Turkish Airlines.

This relationship has been extended for an additional three months, enabling IndiGo to continue operating two Boeing 777 jets, with the assistance of Turkish Airlines, on its network.

Initial proposals by IndiGo were to extend the agreement it had in place with Turkish Airlines for six months; however, this would naturally require the relevant regulatory approval.

The addition of the Boeing 777 has not only been critical in helping develop the international network. Still, it has also been crucial in mitigating significant issues across the network driven by the grounding of new commercial aircraft.

Notably, IndiGo has been affected by the Pratt & Whitney engine saga, which has left A320neo family jets grounded and slashed available capacity.

As a result, IndiGo has taken the opportunity to work with companies like Turkish Airlines and Norse Atlantic Airways to add capacity through lease agreements.

Whether through the Boeing 777 or the Boeing 787, these planes offer significantly more capacity than the previously operational single-aisle jets.

These planes help the company gain insight into what it takes to operate larger planes in preparation for the arrival of the Airbus A350 in the coming years.

Air India Was Angry At IndiGo

IndiGo’s ability to continue flying the Boeing 777 comes just a matter of weeks after the country’s flag carrier, Air India, expressed its frustrations over the deal.

According to a Reuters report, in mid-May, the Indian flag carrier publicly called on Indian officials to end the partnership between IndiGo and Turkish Airlines.

The concerns, at least on Air India’s side, centred on Turkey, specifically Istanbul’s relationship with Pakistan. Due to tensions, Air India felt it faced security-related challenges.

With national security arguably at an all-time high, given the recent developments, there has been pushback from Air India to revoke a relationship between IndiGo and Turkish Airlines that has been ongoing for at least a couple of years.

Some onlookers saw these feelings as valid, considering what has unfolded in the last month. However, others saw this as a means for Air India to counter competition within its country.

IndiGo is positioning itself for strong growth in the coming years, with the backbone of this expansion being the acquisition of jets such as the A350.

Therefore, the 777s are seen as a perfect short-term solution to begin developing the international network. Naturally, with expansion will come the threat of Air India’s market share facing newfound competition.

Ultimately, this is something they may be unhappy about, and they are attempting to leverage political tensions to secure a deal that benefits their competitor and bring it to a close.