'Surat To Seoul, Patna To Paris': IndiGo CEO After Airline Orders 30 Long-Range Airbus

‘surat to seoul, patna to paris’: indigo ceo after airline orders 30 long-range airbus

New Delhi: A day after IndiGo placed an order for 30 wide body Airbus A350s, the company’s CEO Pieter Elbers has explained how Rahul Bhatia, Group Managing Director of InterGlobe, which is the parent company of the airline, plans to see the airline’s network evolving over the next few years.

“Ahmedabad to Amsterdam. Surat to Seoul. Patna to Paris,” Pieter Elbers was quoted as saying by The Times of India.According to the report, the airline’s CEO sent a mail to the employees on Friday stating, “These new wide body aircraft will really be the next step in our ambition to become a global aviation player. We can build on our hubs in India, nonstop connect our Indian strongholds in the metros to destinations all over the globe. But also connecting and supporting the nation by building India into an aviation hub and power house.”

This comes after IndiGo, India’s largest airline and budget carrier, ordered 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft which will to expand its reach beyond short-haul routes. In addition to the initial order, IndiGo also holds purchase rights for another 70 planes, with deliveries set to commence in 2027.

“This is India’s time and IndiGo’s too! We have expanded our international network recently already quite significantly. The (Airbus A321) XLR aircraft will further expand today’s range to parts of Europe and Asia,” he was quoted as saying by the media outlet.

The Airbus A350-900 aircraft’s capability to fly for 16–17 hours opens up opportunities for IndiGo to operate on North American routes and compete in the global aviation landscape. This announcement comes after IndiGo’s impressive performance in 2023, during which it served 100 million customers on its flights. As one of the fastest-growing airlines worldwide, this order will drive IndiGo’s path of growth and expansion.

Currently, Air India is the only Indian carrier operating A350 aircraft. Among domestic airlines, both Air India and Vistara have wide-body aircraft in their fleets, while SpiceJet has leased some wide-body planes. In June 2023, IndiGo had placed the largest-ever single aircraft order by any airline, ordering 500 aircraft from Airbus.

With A350 planes, IndiGo said that it would connect various Indian metros to the world. “The mission capability of this aircraft (A350) coupled with the efficiency of the Trent XWB engine will offer IndiGo unprecedented optionality as it embarks on the next stage of its wonderful journey of addressing the rapidly evolving needs of the Indian customer and our nation,” a press release read.