DGCA allows Indigo to extend aircraft lease agreement with Turkish Airlines for 3 months

Indigo is operating two B777-300ER aircraft under a "damp lease" from Turkish Airlines, which was permitted till May 31, 2025.

Indigo had requested a further six-month extension, which the regulator did not agree to.

"However, in order to avoid passenger inconvenience due to immediate flight disruption, Indigo has been granted a one-time last and final extension of three months," the DGCA said.

"This extension is based on the undertaking from the airline that they will terminate the damp lease with Turkish Airlines within this extension period, and shall not seek any further extension for these operations," the DGCA added.

With one new aircraft joining the fleet every week throughout 2025-26, IndiGo anticipates surpassing a fleet size of 600 aircraft by 2030, the airline said on the network expansion front.

Additionally, the airline has signed an agreement with Norse Atlantic Airways for the damp lease of six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. Deliveries will be completed by early 2026, and the A350S are anticipated to arrive in 2027.

These additional aircraft strengthen the airline's long-haul capabilities.

2025-26 will also be the year in which the long-range A321XLR joins IndiGo's fleet, opening doors to new long-range international markets not previously connected directly to India.

Continuing IndiGo's strategy of internationalisation, the airline is planning to add an impressive 10 new international destinations-in all directions from India- to its route network in the year to come, bringing it to over 50 international destinations.

It has already announced commencement of long-haul operations with non-stop, direct flights connecting Mumbai with Manchester and Amsterdam starting July 2025, respectively. As IndiGo's fleet of damp leased B787s expands later this year, the airline is planning to expand its long-haul network to London and Copenhagen.

With the extended range capabilities of the A321XLR aircraft joining the IndiGo fleet, will allow to further build its European network with direct connectivity to markets where Athens is planned to be introduced over the course of the coming year.

The airline will continue to build on its strong regional international network, with four more Central Asian destinations being added. The airline will also re-activate services to Almaty and Tashkent with new non-stop services from Mumbai. Tbilisi will also see additional capacity with non-stop connectivity from Mumbai.

Direct flights to Siem Reap will be IndiGo's foray in the India - Cambodia market, and yet another destination connected in Southeast Asia after the successful launch of services to Langkawi, Penang and Krabi last year. The airline will also add capacity to Denpasar Bali (Indonesia) as well as Ho Chi Mihn City and Hanoi in Vietnam.

In the domestic market, IndiGo plans to add four more stations to its network, increasing it from 91 to 95 destinations to literally every corner of the nation. IndiGo is all set to become the first airline to start operations at the Navi Mumbai International Airport and Noida International Airport in Jewar (serving both the Uttar Pradesh and Delhi catchment area).

In addition, IndiGo will launch flights to/from Adampur Airport in Jalandhar on July 1, 2025, and Hindon Airport in Ghaziabad in due course. (ANI)