Indian airlines suffer a spate of bomb threats in recent days

Many airlines in India have been suffering a spate of bomb threats this week alone that have caused divertions, delays and expenses.  More than seventy hoax calls and messages have been received and more than a dozen flights diverting.  
One of the latest to be affected was a Vistara service from New Delhi to London, which had to divert to Frankfurt on Friday after a bomb threat was sent using the social media network formally known as Twitter.  The jet with 147 people on board had to be evacuated and a full search was instigated by specialist police teams including those with explosive sniffer dogs. No device was found according to authorities.  
On Monday, three international flights departing from Mumbai had to be diverted or delayed after bomb threats were posted on the same social media network. It is understood that Indian police traced these hoaxes to a teenager, who has since been arrested. 

Pieter Elbers Chairs IATA Board of Governors

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, has assumed his duties as Chair of the IATA Board of Governors (BoG). His one-year term began at the conclusion of the 80th IATA Annual General Meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 3 June.

Elbers is the 82nd Chair of the IATA BoG. He served earlier on the BoG between 2016 and 2022 as KLM’s President and CEO and was reappointed to the Board in 2022 shortly after he became IndiGo’s CEO. He succeeds RwandAir CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo who will continue to serve on the BoG.

“It is indeed an honor to assume this role at a time when India is emerging as one of the world's largest and fastest growing civil aviation markets and evolving into a formidable force in the airline industry. Adhering to IATA’s legacy of aviation as a force for good, we will continue in our focus of highlighting the benefits of aviation in building connections, augmenting trade, tourism and mobility—benefits also so visible in India. At the same time, it is imperative that we persist in our commitment towards a more diverse, equitable and inclusive and also more sustainable aviation industry, creating positive change for generations to come. IATA plays a pivotal role in establishing global standards; I am eager to continue collaborating with global industry leaders, regulators, and stakeholders towards our collective goals,” said Elbers.

Elbers has over 30 years of broad experience in the aviation industry. He has been CEO of IndiGo since September 2022 and has taken IndiGo on a journey of expansion and internationalization since. Prior to joining IndiGo, he served for eight years as President and CEO of KLM. He started his career at KLM in 1992 as Manager Aircraft Loading and has held various key executive positions with KLM in The Netherlands, Japan, Greece, and Italy. 

India’s IndiGo orders 30 Airbus A350 widebody aircraft

A350, the aircraft of choice for IndiGo’s long-haul ambitions

A320 Family has powered IndiGo’s expansion in domestic, regional markets

 

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, has placed a firm order for 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The order will help expand IndiGo’s international network to long-haul destinations.

India, the world’s fastest growing major aviation market, is on the verge of an international travel boom as the economy grows and household incomes rise. The A350 is perfectly positioned to serve the country’s aspirations for long-range travel. The choice of the A350 is a reaffirmation of IndiGo’s continued trust in Airbus and is yet another validation of the aircraft as the undisputed leader in long-haul air travel.

“Today’s historic moment marks a new chapter for IndiGo and will further shape the future of the airline and for Indian aviation at the same time. For IndiGo, after successfully pioneering the Indian skies with an unprecedented journey, its fleet of 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft will allow IndiGo to embark on its next phase of becoming one of the leading global aviation players. At IndiGo, we take pride in being India’s preferred airline and for offering connectivity to our customers, in and with India. This reaffirms IndiGo’s belief in, and commitment to, the growth of India, and in our strategic partnership with Airbus,” said Pieter Elbers, CEO, IndiGo.

“A heartfelt thank you to IndiGo for putting its trust in Airbus once again, and to our respective teams who negotiated this agreement for 30 A350s. IndiGo’s first widebody order opens an exciting new chapter in our close partnership. We are proud that our fuel-efficient, next-generation A320 Family revolutionised domestic air travel in India, and that now the A350 is poised to replicate the same success on long-haul routes,” Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales, Commercial Aircraft.

BOC Aviation has entered into a finance lease transaction involving four Airbus A320NEO aircraft with IndiGo

BOC Aviation has entered into a finance lease transaction involving four Airbus A320NEO aircraft with IndiGo. The aircraft are all powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines. All four aircraft are scheduled for delivery in 2024.

“We are pleased to be closing another four finance leases with IndiGo. We continue

to work closely with our long-time customer to support its expansion strategy as it builds a fleet of latest technology fuel-efficient aircraft,” said Steven Townend, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, BOC Aviation. “This is our first transaction in the year of the dragon, and it sets the tone for the year as we continue growing our fleet by investing in latest generation aircraft and partnering with high quality customers.”

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BOC Aviation signs lease deal with Indigo for four Airbus A320NEO jets

BOC Aviation Limited confirmed this week that it has entered into a finance lease transaction involving four Airbus A320NEO aircraft with IndiGo. The aircraft are all powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines. All four aircraft are scheduled for delivery in 2024. 

“We are pleased to be closing another four finance leases with IndiGo. We continue to work closely with our long-time customer to support its expansion strategy as it builds a fleet of latest technology fuel-efficient aircraft,” said Steven Townend, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, BOC Aviation. “This is our first transaction in the year of the dragon, and it sets the tone for the year as we continue growing our fleet by investing in latest generation aircraft and partnering with high quality customers.”  

“We are pleased to announce that we have extended our partnership with BOC Aviation through a lease agreement for four Airbus A320NEO aircraft. These aircraft will be instrumental in supporting our expansion plans and strengthening our position in both domestic and international markets. At IndiGo, we are dedicated to providing our customers with unparalleled travel experiences, and this partnership will allow us to continue delivering affordable, on-time, and hassle-free travel across our extensive 6E network,” said Riyaz Peermohamed, Chief Aircraft Acquisition and Financing Officer of IndiGo.

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IndiGo to add Ayodhya as the 86th domestic destination to its network...

Flights from Delhi and Ahmedabad to start commercial operations in January 2024

 

IndiGo, India’s preferred carrier, is delighted to add Ayodhya, in Uttar Pradesh, as the 86th domestic destination and 118th overall destination, in the 6E network. IndiGo will also have the honour of being the first carrier to operate from the soon-to-be inaugurated Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport in Ayodhya. The inaugural flight from Delhi will arrive in Ayodhya on December 30, 2023. Subsequently, commercial operations for a direct flight will commence between Delhi and Ayodhya from January 06, 2024, followed by tri-weekly flights between Ahmedabad and Ayodhya from January 11, 2024.

With the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya scheduled for January 2024, the city is poised for a significant surge in travel activity. These new flights will provide pilgrims direct access to Ayodhya, from Delhi and Ahmedabad and further across the unparalleled 6E network across India and overseas. 

Mr. Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales, IndiGo said, "We are delighted to announce the launch of operations from IndiGo's 86th domestic destination, Ayodhya. The new flights connecting Delhi-Ayodhya and Ahmedabad-Ayodhya will bring Ayodhya on the country’s aviation map. Given Ayodhya's historical and cultural significance, our new flights will provide ease of access to the city for pilgrims as well as other tourists. As India’s leading carrier, it is our endeavour to provide our customers with seamless connectivity across the country and we are committed to delivering on our promise of providing affordable, on-time, courteous, and hassle-free travel experiences.”

Ayodhya stands as a city of profound historical and cultural importance in India. For centuries, it has been a cornerstone of religious devotion, serving as the sacred birthplace of Lord Rama. The city boasts a plethora of renowned ancient temples, ghats, and sacred sites that draw pilgrims and tourists from across the globe. Among these landmarks, the upcoming Ram Mandir holds a prominent place, which will attract worshippers from across the globe.

AerCap Holdings delivers Airbus A321 Passenger-to-Freighter converted jet to IndiGo.

AerCap Holdings has delivered its first Airbus A321 Passenger-to-Freighter aircraft to IndiGo, the leasing giant confirmed this week.  The aircraft conversion was completed by Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH ("EFW") before being delivered to IndiGo at ST Engineering Aerospace in Singapore.

"We are delighted to celebrate the delivery of AerCap's first A321 Passenger-to-Freighter aircraft with our longstanding customer, IndiGo. The A321P2F is a best-in-class narrowbody freighter solution, offering superior economics in terms of fuel efficiency and flexibility to meet the growing demand of cargo operators," said Rich Greener, the Head of AerCap Cargo. "We wish IndiGo every success as they expand their fleet to meet their customers' freighter needs, and we thank the EFW and ST Engineering Aerospace teams for their support with this conversion program."

"We are pleased that our customer, AerCap, the world's largest aviation lessor, has taken delivery of their very first Airbus freighter for its customer IndiGo," said Jordi Boto, CEO of EFW. "We look forward to supporting AerCap's commitment to expanding its A321P2F fleet over the next two years with numerous deliveries of our freighter conversions."

In 2022, AerCap announced it had placed a firm order for 15 Airbus A321-200 P2F aircraft conversions and an option for a further 15 A321P2F conversions with EFW.

IndiGo signs lease deal for 10 Airbus A320NEO jets from BOC Aviation

IndiGo, the budget Indian airline that operates around 1900 daily flights connecting 79 domestic and 25 international destinations, has signed a deal to lease ten Airbus A320NEO aircraft from the aircraft leasing giants, BOC Aviation.  These fuel-efficient and reliable jets are all powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines and are scheduled for delivery during the rest of this year. 

“We are delighted to be embarking on another transaction with our long-time customer IndiGo, to enable the airline to expand its fleet with the latest technology aircraft,” said Steven Townend, Deputy Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, BOC Aviation. “This showcases our ability to deploy alternative financing structures, to continue our long-term sustainable growth.”

“We are pleased to enhance our partnership with BOC Aviation with the lease agreement for these 10 aircraft. This extended collaboration with BOC Aviation is part of our expansion strategy across domestic and international markets. India is currently among the fastest growing civil aviation markets in the world and these aircraft will help IndiGo consolidate its position in the region,” said Riyaz Peer Mohamed, Chief Aircraft Acquisition and Financing Officer, IndiGo.

Massive order for 500 Airbus A320 family aircraft from IndiGo

IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, has placed a firm order for 500 A320 Family aircraft, setting the record for the biggest single purchase agreement in the history of commercial aviation. The latest agreement takes the total number of Airbus aircraft on order by IndiGo to 1,330, establishing its position as the world’s biggest A320 Family customer.

The historic purchase agreement was signed by Rahul Bhatia, Promoter & Managing Director of IndiGo, Dr. Venkataramani Sumantran, Chairman and Non-Executive Independent Director of IndiGo, Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO, and Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International, at the Paris Air Show 2023.

Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, said, “It is difficult to overstate the significance of IndiGo’s new historic order for 500 Airbus A320 Family aircraft. An order book now of almost 1000 aircraft well into the next decade, enables IndiGo to fulfil its mission to continue to boost economic growth, social cohesion and mobility in India. At IndiGo, we take pride in being India’s preferred airline for connectivity in and with India; and by doing so, being one of the leading airlines in the world. This order strongly reaffirms IndiGo’s belief in the growth of India, in the A320 Family and in our strategic partnership with Airbus.”

“This landmark order marks a new chapter in Airbus and IndiGo’s relationship that is democratising affordable air travel for millions of people in the world’s fastest growing aviation market. It is also a resounding endorsement of the A320 Family’s best-in-class operating economics that have been powering IndiGo’s growth for almost two decades. We cherish our long-standing relationship with IndiGo and are proud of our success together. We look forward to contributing to the growth of India’s air connectivity in its domestic network and into international markets through the expansion of this formidable partnership” , said Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International at Airbus.

Avolon completes delivery of 15 Airbus jets to IndiGo

Avolon, the international aircraft leasing company, announces it has completed the delivery of 15 A320neo family aircraft to IndiGo, India’s largest passenger airline.

Delivery of the aircraft commenced in September 2022 and was completed in February 2023. The sale and leaseback transaction comprised a mix of six A320neo aircraft and nine A321neo aircraft.

Avolon now has a total of 21 aircraft on lease with IndiGo.

Paul Geaney, President and Chief Commercial Officer, Avolon commented: “We are proud to support IndiGo through this sale and leaseback of fifteen fuel-efficient Airbus neo aircraft. We look forward to playing a central role with IndiGo as they continue to build on their position as a leading carrier in the Indian market.”

Riyaz Peermohamed, Chief Aircraft Acquisition and Financing Officer, IndiGo commented: “We are pleased to have completed this deal with Avolon, which is part of IndiGo’s broader expansion plans and the upgrading of our fleet. In 2023 we are committed to enhancing connectivity both within India and internationally.”

Qantas extends codeshare deal with IndiGo reaching far more of India.

Qantas is offering customers even more travel options across India as part of an expansion of its codeshare partnership with IndiGo.

The national carrier launched the first phase of its codeshare agreement with India’s largest domestic carrier in August last year, offering customers seamless connections from Qantas flights in Bengaluru and Delhi onto IndiGo services to other major Indian cities, including Mumbai and Chennai,  as well as smaller destinations such as Pune and Goa.

Under the second phase of the agreement, Qantas customers can now travel to an additional eight cities, bringing the total number of Indian destinations available for connection from Delhi and Bengaluru to 21. Qantas customers will also have more choice across IndiGo’s domestic network with more than 250 new flights available for booking.

Qantas Frequent Flyers can earn and redeem points on connecting IndiGo flights (with the QF code) and IndiGo recognises Qantas Frequent Flyer benefits for tiered members (Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum One) including priority check-in and priority baggage.

Qantas customers travelling on IndiGo can carry the same baggage allowance as their flight from Australia as well as receiving complimentary food and drinks.

Qantas Chief Customer Officer, Markus Svensson said: “Qantas’ new routes to India have proven to be incredibly popular with our customers.

Our codeshare partnership with IndiGo has improved the way our customers travel between Australia and India, and the additional destinations give travellers even more options.

The new codeshare flights will allow our customers to enjoy more connections across India from our Delhi and Bengaluru gateways and have their luggage checked straight through to their final destination.

Our frequent flyers in particular benefit from booking these flights, with more opportunities to earn points and status credits.”

New codeshare destinations:

Guwahati

Indore

Chandigarh

Mangalore

Jaipur

Nagpur

Thiruvananthapuram

Visakhapatnam

Existing codeshare destinations:

Ahmedabad

Amritsar

Bengaluru

Chennai

Delhi

Goa

Mumbai

Kochi

Kolkata

Hyderabad

Lucknow

Patna

Pune

Jetstar and IndiGo partnership goes live

A new virtual interline partnership between Jetstar and Indian low-cost carrier, IndiGo has gone live! Jetstar customers looking for low-cost travel options can now access IndiGo’s low fares from Jetstar’s hub in Singapore to key Indian destinations including Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Tiruchirappalli via the airline's website 

Jetstar Connect is an integrated booking system that allows passengers to select flights, buy bundled and unbundled ancillary products such as baggage and seats and enjoy seamless connectivity between international flights. 

Jetstar Asia Commercial Lead, Mr Poh Tiong Seng said: “Today’s announcement is a significant milestone for Jetstar as we continue to expand our network via Singapore’s Changi Airport through our partnership with IndiGo.  Jetstar Connect allows us to offer our customers more exciting opportunities to travel and more great value fares all at the click of a button, making travel even more accessible.” 

Sanjay Kumar, Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer, IndiGo commented:  “This strategic agreement will enable both airlines to tap into the rising demand for international travel, with the upcoming festive season. The partnership will enable customers to enjoy seamless connectivity between Jetstar and IndiGo and access to a wide variety of destinations across Asia Pacific. This partnership will also help us to expand our international connectivity to yet another continent through Jetstar’s network. 

We look forward to having Jetstar’s customers on our lean clean flying machine, as we extend to them our on-time, affordable, courteous and hassle-free travel experience.”

Turkish Airlines and IndiGo resumed their existing codeshare partnership

Turkish Airlines and IndiGo resumed their existing codeshare partnership

Turkish Airlines, the national flag carrier airline of Türkiye and IndiGo, India’s largest airline have resumed their codeshare flights and partnership by opening the sale earlier this month. Scheduled operations will be restarted in a phased manner with the first flight effective yesterday, June 29, 2022. The codeshare is considered as Bilateral Free Flow Codeshare wherein both the airlines will place its code on another’s flights. The agreement will enable both the carriers to provide more flexibility of choice to the customers on sectors between İstanbul and India, among others.

In the 1st phase, tickets of both airlines are open for sale, with Turkish Airlines as the marketing carrier, and IndiGo as the operating carrier. Turkish Airlines will be placing its code on trunk route flights operated by 6E on the Delhi-Istanbul route and later from six domestic destinations in India including Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai and Kolkata.

On the continuing partnership Turkish Airlines Chief Executive Officer Bilal Ekşi stated, “After witnessing two tough years of the pandemic, the airline industry is now in the new period which will enable us to heal the injuries. In this new era, every cooperation has become more important for each airline. We are very happy to see that both Turkish Airlines and IndiGo ensure the best for their customers. I am glad to announce that our passengers will continue to experience broader opportunities with the resume of the codeshare agreement with IndiGo.”

KLM adds 16 new destinations in India through code sharing with IndiGo

The new agreement between KLM and IndiGo provides customers immediate access to the airlines’ respective networks. This constitutes a major expansion for KLM in India. KLM currently operates daily service to Delhi and five weekly flights to Mumbai. From 23 May, it will operate three weekly flights to Bangalore. The new codeshare agreement ensures that these flights seamlessly connect with IndiGo’s extensive network in India, including cities such as Hyderabad, Jaipur, Goa and Chennai, ensuring the passengers have access to key business centres as well as popular holiday destinations.

Pieter Elbers, president & CEO KLM: “We’re very pleased with this new agreement with IndiGo. Now that the world is reopening, our partnership with IndiGo will allow us to offer customers more business and leisure destinations in the booming and thriving Indian market. Thanks to these partner networks, we offer an increasing range of connections with the world. This agreement is an important step forward for both airlines on the way to further recovery. IndiGo is a successful airline with a modern fleet and, just like KLM, it has won many customer satisfaction awards.”

Good connections with India are of great importance to KLM. India has one of the world’s fastest growing economies. It is also one of the key trading partners of the EU and has long been an important trading partner for the Netherlands. The expansion of the number of KLM destinations in India offers many new opportunities and connections for customers who do business with India or who have established businesses there. Moreover, the easing of travel restrictions presents a growing range of holiday destinations outside Europe. The new agreement with IndiGo offers passengers all sorts of opportunities to explore the diverse natural and cultural wonders of India. With its expansive network in the United States, KLM offers a wider array of flight options to many people in India wishing to travel to the US, and vice versa.

IndiGo is amongst the fastest growing low-cost carriers in the world. IndiGo has a simple philosophy: offer fares that are affordable, flights that are on time, offering a courteous, hygienic, and hassle-free travel experience. With its fleet of 275+ aircraft, the airline is operating over 1,000 daily flights and connecting 70 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations.

KLM will operate direct flights to the following Indian destinations in the coming season:

Delhi: daily

Mumbai: daily (from 23 May)

Bangalore: three times weekly (from 23 May), four times weekly (from 21 June)

Preparing for the trip

KLM fully understands that planning a trip may still demand a lot of preparation from customers. It is of great importance to consult the very latest information on the applicable requirements at your destination. With the interactive “Where can I fly to?” overview, KLM lists the current travel requirements for all the destinations it serves, offering customers a convenient means of choosing their next destination.

With our Ready to Fly service, passengers can save time by having their Covid-19-related documentation checked from home or wherever they are staying. This enables passengers to get negative PCR tests, health screening forms, proof of vaccination and so on validated swiftly and easily ahead of their trip. This not only saves time, but also ensures peace of mind when they set off on their journey, because they can rest assured that they have all the required Covid-19 documentation. The Ready to Fly service is also available for travel to India.

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Qatar Airways and IndiGo Reactivate Strategic Cooperation

Qatar Airways and IndiGo, India's largest airline, announced the reactivation of their strategic cooperation following the lifting of the suspension on international scheduled flights by the Indian government.

Qatar Airways is currently operating 190 flights per week to and from 12 destinations in India, namely Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Kozhikode, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Goa, Kolkata, and Thiruvananthapuram. IndiGo is currently operating 154 flights per week between Doha and eight cities in India and that includes Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Kozhikode and Kannur. As part of this expanded code-share agreement, Qatar Airways will be placing its marketing code on IndiGo operated flights between Doha and Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, starting from 25 April 2022, and Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Kozhikode, starting from 09 May 2022.

Both Qatar Airways and IndiGo flights are optimally connected to Qatar Airways' hub, the award-winning Hamad International Airport in Doha. This allows passengers to benefit from seamless and convenient connections to the airline's entire route network, including North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia/Australia.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: "The reactivation of our strategic partnership with IndiGo is another milestone in the development of aviation between the State of Qatar and India. Together, both Qatar Airways and IndiGo will offer over 340 flights per week to 13 destinations in India. Never before has our partnership with IndiGo been stronger and the resumption of our strategic cooperation demonstrates the resilience, agility and commitment both partners have shown in overcoming the challenges of the pandemic."

Mr. Ronojoy Dutta, Wholetime Director and Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo added: “We are excited to reactivate our code-share agreement with Qatar Airways, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines. We are confident this strong partnership will not only expand opportunities for the customers, but also boost trade and tourism in both the countries. With the easing of restrictions, we believe that this will create economic growth through IndiGo’s seamless nationwide connectivity. We look forward to serving customers on our lean, clean flying machine, as we extend to them our on-time, affordable, courteous and hassle-free travel experience.” 

Another Airbus A320NEO for IndiGo

IndiGo (InterGlobe Aviation Ltd) has taken delivery of the last of eight Airbus A320NEO aircraft powered by CFM Leap engines, on a sale and leaseback deal with BOC Aviation Limited. 

Mr. Steven Townend, Deputy Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, BOC Aviation, said: “The delivery of these eight aircraft reflects the strong cooperation that we have established with IndiGo, India’s largest passenger airline.”

“We look forward to building on our relationships with major airline partners such as IndiGo, as we continue to support our airline customers in financing their aircraft deliveries,” added Mr. Townend.

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American Airlines and IndiGo Announce Codeshare Agreement

American Airlines and IndiGo announce a codeshare agreement, making it easier than ever for customers to travel to India.

American’s customers will have access to 29 new routes from Bengaluru and Delhi.

AAdvantage members will earn miles when traveling on American codeshare flights operated by IndiGo.

 American Airlines is opening new doors across India this fall thanks to a new codeshare agreement with IndiGo, India’s leading airline. The agreement, announced today, will place American’s code on 29 of IndiGo’s domestic routes in India, providing a convenient option for American Airlines customers arriving on the carrier’s new Bengaluru (BLR) and Delhi (DEL), India, flights. The codeshare, which will require U.S. and Indian governments’ approvals, is expected to begin in October, as American launches new service between New York (JFK) and DEL on Oct. 31 and between Seattle (SEA) and BLR on Jan. 4, 2022.

“We’re eager to add IndiGo as our trusted partner in India,” said Vasu Raja, American’s Chief Revenue Officer. “Whether our customers are traveling for business or pleasure, this new partnership makes it easy to reach all four corners of India. Today we’re adding 29 new routes to our map as a result of this agreement, providing customers with even more options around the globe.”

As the codeshare agreement begins, members of American’s AAdvantage® loyalty program will earn miles when traveling on American codeshare flights operated by IndiGo. Customers who aren’t yet members of the award-winning AAdvantage program can enroll online and enjoy immediate benefits such as Group 6 boarding on flights operated by American.

“We are delighted to sign this codeshare agreement with one of the world’s largest and most reputed airlines,” said Ronojoy Dutta, Chief Executive Officer of IndiGo. “We are confident that this will be a strong partnership that will create many opportunities for trade and tourism through IndiGo’s seamless nationwide connectivity. We look forward to having American’s customers on our lean clean flying machine, as we extend to them our on-time, affordable, courteous and hassle-free travel experience.”

IndiGo, India’s largest airline by number of passengers carried, is based in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. With its fleet of 275+ aircraft, the airline operates more than 1,100 daily flights, connecting 70 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations. Since its founding in 2006, IndiGo’s 23,000 employees have professionally served more than 300 million customers.

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IndiGo becomes first Indian airline to launch a pilot for IATA Travel Pass

In its effort to chart recovery for international travel, IndiGo, India’s leading carrier, has partnered with International Air Transport Association (IATA) to become the first Indian airline to launch a pilot for IATA Travel Pass to help passengers easily and securely manage their travel in line with any government requirements for COVID-19 testing or vaccine information.

IATA Travel Pass is a mobile app that helps travellers to store and manage their verified certifications for COVID-19 tests or vaccines. It is more secure and efficient than current paper processes used to manage health requirements. This is important given the potentially enormous scale of testing or vaccine verifications that will need to be securely managed.

The pass will enable IndiGo passengers to create a ‘digital passport’ to verify their pre-travel test or vaccination status to meet the SOPs of the destination. The passengers will be able to share the test and vaccination certificates with authorities as well as airlines to facilitate travel. The app will also enable passengers to manage and save all their travel documentation digitally and seamlessly throughout the travel experience.

IndiGo announces unlimited free tickets for ‘Sona’ Munda, Neeraj Chopra for a period of one year

India’s leading carrier – IndiGo, has announced that it will offer unlimited free travel to ‘Gold Medallist’ Neeraj Chopra for a period of one year. This comes in recognition of Neeraj Chopra winning the Gold Medal at Tokyo Olympics 2020 in the finals of Men’s javelin throw. 

The offer is applicable from August 8, 2021, till August 7, 2022.  Ronojoy Dutta, Whole-time Director & Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo said, “Neeraj we were all overjoyed to hear about your remarkable achievement. You have made the country proud, and I know all IndiGo employees would be truly honoured to welcome you onboard one of our flights. With all humility, we would like to offer you free flights on IndiGo for a year.”

“You have shown us what hard work, resilience and passion can achieve and I am sure you will be a torchbearer for future Indian athletes. Well done, Neeraj”.

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Leasing giant GECAS arranges purchase and leaseback deal with IndiGo on 14 Airbus Neos jets

GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) along with the ventures it services have agreed a Purchase/Leaseback (PLB) arrangement for 14 LEAP-powered Airbus neo aircraft with IndiGo. The seven A320neo and seven A321neo are scheduled to deliver between the fourth quarter of 2021 and the middle of 2022.

Currently, India’s largest airline (by passengers carried and fleet size), GECAS has supported the fleet needs of IndiGo since it commenced operations in 2006.

“GECAS remains proud to support IndiGo’s exciting growth over the past 15 years, and adding these 14 neos is a true honor,” explains Aashish Sonawala, SVP and Asia-Pacific Regional Manager of GECAS.

“While putting our own capital to work, GECAS’ strategic platforms are providing additional capacity to meet the needs of our global customer relationships,” shares John Bordeaux, GECAS’ Chief Investment Officer, adding “We’re very pleased to lend our extensive expertise and network to identify the best opportunities for our investment partners.”