India’s largest domestic carrier, IndiGo, has signed a codeshare partnership with Turkey’s national flag carrier, Turkish Airlines, as part of its expansion plans to facilitate travel between the two countries in addition to new services to continental Europe. To facilitate its ambitious plans, the airline has placed an order for nearly 500 Boeing aircraft to be delivered by the close of the decade.
From India To Turkey And Beyond
IndiGo’s expansion plans have been boosted by the announcement of a codeshare partnership with Turkish Airlines, which will enable the airlines to provide services from India’s major cities to one of Turkey’s major cities, Istanbul.
In addition, the low-budget airline will be able to expand its route network to cover major cities in countries including the UK, the Republic of Ireland, France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and many more. The airline plans to provide more travel opportunities for passengers from its 76 hubs within India, including Delhi and Mumbai.
As a clear sign that IndiGo’s expansion plans show no signs of slowing down, the airline has announced plans to commence operations in the near future in the cities of Nairobi, Kenya, and Jakarta, Indonesia.
Regarding the announcement of the partnership, Vinay Malhotra, IndiGo’s head of international sales, said:
“Currently IndiGo is flying 1,800 flights a day and 10 percent of them [are] on international routes. Our current international flights are concentrated around the Indian subcontinent and some other countries around. The farthest we travel is to Turkey and Istanbul. We have been very keen to fly further and that’s why [we have signed] a partnership with Turkish airlines. This is a codeshare partnership which allows us to penetrate Europe like never before”.
Mammoth Airbus Orders From Rivals IndiGo and Air India
As a part of its deal with aerospace manufacturer Airbus, IndiGo has more than 500 aircraft on order, which will add to its current fleet of over 300 planes. The aircraft will be delivered steadily over the coming years before the completion of the order by the end of the decade.
IndiGo’s purchase of additional aircraft may be seen as part of a strategic response to recent news from its rival Air India that saw the flag carrier announce its procurement of an astounding 470 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, a record order for any airline globally.
IndiGo’s Expansion Plans – Going From Strength To Strength
The latest announcement regarding IndiGo’s expansion plans is not the only piece of positive news for those eager to travel with the airline in 2023. At the beginning of the month, IndiGo announced further expansion of its route network to include new destinations in the Middle East. Daily flights between India and the region will begin at the end of March, with flights scheduled to transport passengers between Hyderabad, India, and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and additionally Chennai, India, and Muscat, Oman, and Abu Dhabi, UAE.
What are your thoughts on the IndiGo and Turkish Airlines partnership? Let us know in the comments!
