- SUMMARY
- IndiGo CEO has dropped some hints on the major expansion plans of the airline.
- The airline is looking to add flights to Africa and Southeast Asia.
- Domestically, Puducherry is expected to be the next destination.
IndiGo Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers has assumed the role of the Chairman of the Board of Governors of IATA. In a conversation, he shared some interesting insights regarding the future international and domestic additions for IndiGo.
In this article, let us take a detailed look at all the potential additions. By the end of March 2025, the airline is looking to add 10 new domestic and international destinations to its network.
IndiGo CEO Confirms Mauritius Launch
IndiGo is all set to become the third airline to serve between India and Mauritius. This will become the second destination for the airline in the African region. As of now, it is connecting Mumbai to Nairobi.
Currently, Air Mauritius and Vistara are the only carriers connecting Port Louis to India. Vistara connects Port Louis to Mumbai with five weekly flights. On the other hand, Air Mauritius connects MRU to Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai with 2, 6, and 1 weekly flights respectively. Vistara utilizes its Airbus A321LR for the Mumbai-Mauritius route, while Air Mauritius operates primarily with Airbus A330.
IndiGo: Third Destination in Thailand
In addition to the Mauritius launch, the airline is expected to add flights to one more destination in Thailand, besides Bangkok and Phuket. However, Mr Elbers did not state the exact destination the airline will launch. According to the air service agreement between India and Thailand, Indian carriers can operate Chiang Rai, Hat Yai, Surat Thani, Udon Thani, Krabi, Samui, and U-Tapao.
It will be interesting to see which destination IndiGo launch.
IndiGo is currently the largest airline operating between India and Thailand. It connects India to Bangkok and Phuket. Bangkok is connected to 7 Indian cities with 41 weekly flights. On the other hand, Phuket is connected to three Indian cities with 35 weekly flights. Overall, IndiGo connects Thailand to 7 Indian cities with 76 weekly flights.
Other Destinations: Jaffna & Puducherry
During the recent earnings conference, Pieter Elbers confirmed the launch of Jaffna operations. He said in an interview with the Economic Times that the airline will launch flights to Jaffna in June. Earlier, media reports from Sri Lanka stated that the airline is eyeing to connect Jaffna to Chennai, a route that already has the presence of Alliance Air.
Talking about domestic destinations, Puducherry is the most likely city to get IndiGo operations. The airline team has visited the airport more than two times. It has been allotted office space.
Initially, it is expected to connect Puducherry to Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Later, it will increase connections. Puducherry was abandoned by SpiceJet in October 2023.
When reporters asked the IndiGo CEO about joining any alliance, he said that considering the unique geolocation of the airline, it is not rushing for any decision. It is taking a pragmatic approach and going for customized partnerships. Recently, it signed a codeshare partnership with Japan Airlines. With the Airbus A321XLR coming in 2025, the airline is looking at the long-haul market.
Conclusion
IndiGo CEO has said that the airline will launch flights to 10 destinations by the end of March 2025. This includes Mauritius and a new point in Thailand. When asked about an alliance partnership, he said that the airline is taking a pragmatic approach and is not rushing to make any decisions.
What do you think will be the other destinations for IndiGo? Discuss in the comment section.
Featured Image Credits: IndiGo via Facebook
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