IndiGo has been a surprise story over the past couple of years as it breaks away from the mould that observers have cast it, investors and everyone else. The airline has a significant focus on international expansion. To this effect, it ordered the Airbus A350 last year, already has the Airbus A321XLR on order (of which they are the largest customer).
IndiGo’ wet lease Norse Atlantic Airways’ 787 Aircraft.
During the Christmas—New Year break, it emerged that IndiGo will not wait until 2027 to launch widebody operations but will move in earlier.
Norse Atlantic Airways’ 787-9 aircraft
On 22 November 2024, the Company entered a detailed letter of intent (the “LOI”) with a reputable international airline for wet lease agreements (“wet lease”) for six aircraft, subject to final agreements, mutual corporate approvals and regulatory approvals. The initial contract term could be further extended, subject to regulatory approval, to cover a longer-term period, with an estimated contract value of USD 462 million over that extended term. Pursuant to the LOI, and provided final agreements are executed based on the terms therein, two aircraft are expected to be deployed in February 2025, with an additional four aircraft expected in September 2025. Norse will be entitled to payment for 350 block hours per aircraft each month, with additional payments possible if utilization exceeds 350 hours per month.
As a part of the agreement, IndiGo will get an aircraft on lease, along with the cockpit crew and maintenance services, while IndiGo will provide its cabin crew (just like they do with its Turkish Airlines’ Boeing 777 operations).
Taking the promise of ‘India by IndiGo’ further, the airline will partner with Indian brands, bringing the best of India to the world. This flight will feature IndiGoStretch and customers can enjoy specially curated meals by Oberoi Catering Services, paired with beverages by Sula Vineyards.
The Boeing 787-9 aircraft features 56 IndiGoStretch seats in a 2x3x2 configuration with an impressive 43-inch seat pitch. The economy class offers 282 seats in a 3x3x3 configuration, providing a generous 31-inch seat pitch for a relaxed travel experience. The FlyNorse Premium Economy has been repurposed as IndiGoStretch.
IndiGoStretch customers can enjoy complimentary benefits like priority check-in, anytime boarding, advance seat selection, and a zero-convenience fee. They will also receive an additional baggage allowance of 30 kg at check-in and up to 12 kg for one bag in the cabin.
On the development, IndiGo’s CEO Pieter Elbers said,
As India’s aviation sector undergoes rapid transformation to keep pace with unprecedented growth in demand for travel, IndiGo is well-positioned to lead this expansion. The early induction of our wide body aircraft marks a significant milestone in our journey. Starting between Delhi and Bangkok, we intend to shift to Europe from mid-Summer. We are thrilled to introduce the comfort of IndiGoStretch on our regional international route, after the positive and encouraging feedback domestically. Our roots and fundamentals are Indian but increasingly, the world is where we operate. As a proud Indian brand IndiGo believes in great Indian brands supporting each other in going global. In line with our promise of India by IndiGo, we are committed to partner with the best-in-class Indian brands such as the Oberoi Catering Services, Sula and others for extending premium services to IndiGoStretch customers.”
IndiGo to fly the 787-9 to Bangkok.
IndiGo has unveiled the first destination of its 787-9 operations. As of March 1, 2025, IndiGo will take the 787-9 and upgrade its Delhi—Bangkok route to operate with it. This is clearly to integrate the aircraft into the fleet and train the crew, so it is more like a familiarisation flight. The airline will eventually fly these aircraft to Europe later in the year, as disclosed in Pieter’s Statement.
Bangkok makes sense, given that IndiGo can use Norse’s maintenance setup in Bangkok if anything goes south. Also, Bangkok makes it easier to fill planes over Europe, especially at the start of operations of a new aircraft type.
IndiGo will also receive its first Airbus A321XLR aircraft in FY26, which will help the company expand internationally.
Bottomline
IndiGo has confirmed the launch of its 787-9 operations on flights between Delhi and Bangkok before these aircraft are moved to fly to Europe later in the year. Currently, IndiGo will offer the IndiGoStretch product on board and the Economy cabin, and catering will be done by Oberoi Flight Services, just like domestic IndiGoStretch operations.
What do you think of IndiGo’s move to fly the 787-9?
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